home gardening – Skagit County Master Gardener Foundation

Tools for Gardeners

garden tools and accessories laying on green grass

The holidays are perfect for gifting gardeners tools and gadgets tailored to their interests, from seed starting supplies and pruning tools to maintenance aids, enhancing their gardening experience.

As winter approaches, gardeners dream of options to extend the growing season. Key decisions involve what to grow, usage, design, materials, and whether to start seeds or protect delicate plants year-round.

Artistic Composting

garden with flowers bloom beside a flower pot and an ornamental wire cage for composting leaves

Master Gardener Herta Kurp introduces a creative approach to building compost structures in the home garden. These structures are hard working solutions to the garden waste stream.

Cut Flower Garden

colorful flowers in garden with sun setting on the water in background

Master Gardener Karen Bruce discusses the joys and considerations of starting a cut flower garden, highlighting the importance of planning, choosing annuals and perennials, and ensuring success from spring through fall.

Growing Garlic

Master Gardener Laura Kuhn shares valuable tips for planning and planting a successful garlic crop this fall.

Blueberries

Interested in growing blueberries? Soil acidity, location and plant selection are key to success in area.

Garden Open House

Three garden open house on Saturday, June 28 offers a great opportunity to learn A-Z about gardening in our area.

Become a Master Gardener

Considering becoming a master gardener, or have a friend thinking about it? Master Gardener Kari Ranten outlines her top ten reasons, and why she values the program.

Pet-Friendly Gardening

Both pets and gardening require planning, patience, and a healthy dose of reality—learning methods to avoid pitfalls and lead to a happy coexistence between plants and pets.

Dealing with Wet Spots

Discover how to transform soggy spots in your landscape into thriving, beautiful spaces. Learn the secrets of selecting plants for wet areas!

Plant Fair 2025

The 2025 Skagit County Master Gardener Plant Fair is scheduled for Saturday, May 10.

Preventing Food Waste

Reducing food waste is a step-by-step process. It can be fun learning about the delicious ways you can get more out of your food budget.

Bamboo: Is it for you?

Is Bamboo for You? If you love bamboo, be a good neighbor and understand how to select, grow, and maintain the plant. FacebookPinEmail Subscribe to the Blog > By Kay Torrance, Skagit County WSU Extension Master Gardener Bamboo is alternatingly loved and hated by home gardeners. Typically, gardeners are firmly planted in one camp or…

Garden Tours

Creating and appreciating a garden is a dynamic, creative process that benefits from inspiration. Gardeners in the Pacific Northwest are fortunate to have access to many garden styles and a wide variety of plant combinations at gardens that are open to the public – all within range of a day trip from Skagit Valley.

Vegetable Seed Selection

Use this guide to make strategic selections when choosing vegetable seeds for planting your 2025 garden.

Tool Maintenance

person in boots digging a garden fork nto soil

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.

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.

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.

Open House 2024

picture of Discovery Garden entrance apples, Salal Native Garden sign

Join us for this year’s Open House at the Discovery Garden, the Salal Native Plant Garden, and the NW Fruit Garden

Plant Clinics

person diagnosing disease on tree branch

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.

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

shows multiple raised bed gardens and terrlis

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.