Tool Maintenance
The last job of the gardening season is tool clean-up. Master Gardener Kathy Wolfe covers the reasons why and how to make quick work of garden tool maintenance.
Holiday Floral Arrangements
Creating floral arrangements with foraged natural materials is a rewarding way to bring seasonal cheer into your home.
Growing Grapes
Dream of having your own vineyard? Begin planning now. By choosing the right location and varietal, you can enjoy home-grown grapes in Western Washington.
Cover Crops
Rebuild your garden soil with a winter cover crop which is considered a green, plant-based fertilizer that feeds the soil without animal products.
Growing Figs
Enjoy the sweet, aromatic flavor of homegrown figs in the Pacific Northwest with these select varieties.
Drying Herbs
Capture the seasonal flavors by preserving fresh herbs. Get started drying, freezing, dehydrating and enhance your meals deep into the winter.
Trees Not to Plant
Before buying and planting a tree, Master Gardener Alison Hitchcock outlines species to avoid due to their vulnerability to current and looming threats.
Sale Plants
Plants purchased off the sale rack are only a bargain if you follow these basic rules for all plant purchases.
Fall Planting
July is the time to plant a fall/winter garden. A little work now will set you up for a fresh, delicious vegetables to brighten your autumn and winter meals.
Western Redcedars
The best action today’s gardeners and homeowners can take to prevent redcedar dieback is to keep the soil around their trees weed-free and mulched and to discourage heavy foot traffic.
Open House 2024
Join us for this year’s Open House at the Discovery Garden, the Salal Native Plant Garden, and the NW Fruit Garden
Hypertufa Containers
Alpine gardening enthusiasts have found a solution to recreate the beauty they see in the alpine regions by using hypertufa containers
Memorial Gardens
The very act of envisioning, planning, and creating a memorial garden can help you focus on things beautiful and symbolic that capture the essence of your lost loved one.
Plant Clinics
Visit a Master Gardener Plant Clinic and get answers to your questions from WSU Extension-trained experts.
30th Annual Plant Fair
Plants, education, food, music. Kick off your gardening season at the 30th Annual Skagit Master Gardener Plant Fair – Saturday, May 11 – 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Potting Soil
Successful container gardening depends on the attributes of your potting soil. Take a deep dive into how it is made and how to make it better.
Tent Caterpillars
During this time of year, tent caterpillar egg casings on the branches of deciduous trees are easy to spot. Remove them now, or leave them as an important part of the ecosystem.
Gardening Fitness
As you plan for the gardening season ahead, tune-up with these at-home stretches and exercises so you’ll be up to the gardening chores ahead.
Gardening for All Abilities
Whatever the physical challenge, take heart and continue to enjoy gardening by implementing some of these adaptive methods.
Gardening for Wildlife
Explore the benefits of using keystone plants to create a wildlife-friendly ecosystem in your own garden.
Pollinators
Learn about pollinators and open your eyes to the beauty and intricate connectivity of nature. As gardeners, we can make choices that will enhance or inhibit pollinators.
Veggie Gardening for Rookies
Interested in growing vegetables but wondering where to start? Master gardeners walk you through what to consider when starting a vegetable garden for the first time.
Indoor Grow Stand
Grow herbs and vegetables in the middle of the winter with an indoor growing stand.
Raised Beds
Winter is a great time to plan for next season and explore the many advantages of building raised gardening beds.
Season Extenders
An early frost quickly brings a close to the gardening season. Here, Master Gardener Hallie Kintner discusses tools and techniques to extend the season.
The Health Benefits of Gardening
Gardening has long been considered good for the soul. Here Master Gardener Kathy Wolfe writes about the many ways gardening improves mental health.
Plant Spring Blooming Bulbs Now
Master Gardener Jessamyn Tuttle explores the many wonderful bulbs which, if planted now, will bloom as early as late January.
Seed Saving 101
Master Gardener Sheri Rylaarsdam shares the fun of getting started saving and sharing seeds from your garden.
Cider Making
Get started pressing apple juice and making cider. Learn about the excellent resources here in Skagit County and how to get started pressing apple juice and making fermented apple cider.
Restoring Nature
Recently certified Master Gardener Joan Stamm writes about how Douglas Tallamay’s book, Nature’s Best Hope changed her gardening perspective.
Be Firewise
Former wildland firefighter and Master Gardener Marlene Finley outlines key elements to making your home defensible in a wildfire.
USDA Zones and Microclimates
Master Gardener Claudia Wells discusses the various USDA Zones in Skagit County and microclimates and how they affect your garden’s success.
DIY Drip Irrigation
Master Gardener Bob Bryan helps homeowners set-up their own drip irrigation, helping them save money and time, and their plants thrive.
Celebrating 50 Years of Master Gardeners
The statewide WSU Extension Master Gardeners celebrate 50 years. The first program in the US was started by WSU extension agents in King and Pierce County.
Discovery Garden Open House June 24, 2023
Join us for a day of discovery and learning at the Skagit Master Gardener’s Discovery Garden in Mount Vernon
Italian Arum
Don’t be deceived by the beauty of Italian Arum, though it is sold by many companies, it is an invasive plant in most areas of Western Washington.
Visit UW Botanic Gardens
Skagit Master Gardeners spend a day touring and learning about the plants at the UW Botanic Garden.
Northwest Tree Squirrels
Author Kathy Wolfe explores the ambiguity of Pacific Northwest tree squirrels: At times entertaining and at other times very destructive.
2023 Master Gardener Plant Fair
Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardeners are preparing for their 2023 Plant Fair at the Skagit County Fairgrounds in Mount Vernon on May 13. Free Admission
Vermicomposting
By composting at home, either in a pile or with a worm bin, we can stop the cycle by feeding worms our food scraps and letting them convert them into high-quality nutrients that can be used by plants and other life forms that live in the soil.
Midnight Marauders
Master Gardener Diana Wisen discusses slug damage and eradication, one of the most discussed topics among PNW gardeners.
Cool Weather Vegetables
The marine-influenced weather in the Pacific Northwest is the perfect climate for growing cool-season vegetables.
Heathers and Heaths
Heathers and heaths, common in our area, have a multitude of characteristics and are well-adapted to the Pacific Northwest landscape. Ericaceae is the family of the heather plants, but it also includes rhododendrons, blueberries, mountain laurels, and more.
Birds in Winter
From the comfort of your chair, you may also notice winter birds flitting about. Birds are an integral part in the cycle of nature. Helping them get proper food, water and shelter will assist their winter survival and allow you to enjoy their antics.
January is a Perfect Time to Start These Cool Hardy Beauties
While hard to find in flower nurseries it is possible to start lisianthus from seeds. Mastering the seed-starting techniques was a months-long process, but well worth it.
Books for Gardeners
Skagit Master Gardeners share their favorite books to curl up with over the holidays.
Winter Sowing
The dark days of winter are upon us. As a gardener, this is the time of year we pull out the seed catalogs and start planning for next year.
Grow Your Own Natural Dyes
As the summer blooms fade and the bright hues of autumn give way to the gray of November, gardeners and crafters alike find themselves looking for ways to brighten their days.
Dahlias: To Dig or Not to Dig
Master Gardeners share their overwintering techniques FacebookPinEmail By Anne Hays, Skagit County WSU Master Gardener Anne Hays is a resident of La Conner and a Skagit County Master Gardener Dahlias, first imported from Mexico and Central America, provide a rich and enthusiastic floral display in Pacific Northwest gardens. Continuous hybridization of Asteraceae has resulted in …