Can't find the topic you would like? Please contact us to make a request.
Jodi Bay
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an Email
Topics:
Geographic Area:
Any
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: None
Notes:
Kathryn Blankinship
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an Email
Topics:
- Growing subtropical Fruit Plants
- Grafting Fruit Trees
- Earth Friendly Gardening
- Beginning Vegetable Gardening
- Planning Irrigation Systems and Hydro Zoning
- Successfully Growing Acid Soil-Loving Plants: Australians, Blueberries, Camellias and SubTropical Plants
Geographic Area:
North County
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: None
Notes:
Kathryn has been a Master Gardener since 2014. She is a life member of the California Rare Fruit Growers and a docent at the San Diego Botanic Garden. She is QUEL certified (Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper)
David Boucher
619 296-8097
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an Email
Topics:
- Successful vegetable gardening
Geographic Area:
Any
Preferred Hours:
Not available Wednesdays or Thursdays
Equipment Needed: None
Notes:
Prefers outdoor venues
Cindy Bruecks
619 223-5515
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an Email
Topics:
- Drought Tolerant Gardening
- Sustainable Landscapes
- Herbs
- Rainwater and Graywater Use
- Sustainability/Earth Friendly Gardening
- Citrus
- Edible Landscapes and Toxic Plants
- Firesafe Landscaping
- Houseplants: Charming or Challenging
Geographic Area:
Metro area plus surrounding areas
Preferred Hours:
Equipment Needed: PC laptop available
Notes:
Stephen Cantu
619 518-2267
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an Email
Topics:
- Making Gardening Accessible to all Ages and Abilities
- A friendly discussion on gardening tools and design
Geographic Area:
Any
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: None
Notes:
Projector screen, darkened room. Wheelchair access.
Sommer Cartier
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an Email
Topics:
- Monarch Butterflies
- Beginning Vegetable Gardening
- Container Gardening
Geographic Area:
Any
Preferred Hours:
Weekends and weekday evenings available
Equipment Needed: None
Notes:
Marsha Cook
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an Email
Topics:
- Earth Friendly Gardens
- Attracting Pollinators
Geographic Area:
Ramona and East County, North County
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: Darkened room with computer, projector, screen
Notes:
Betty Corvey
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an Email
Topics:
- Starting a home garden
- Herbs
- Succulents
- Roses
- Worms
- Other interests? Please ask
- Propagation
Geographic Area:
Lakeside, Santee, El Cajon, La Mesa
Preferred Hours:
Morning Afternoon
Equipment Needed: Indoor venue: Projector and screen. Outdoor:None/Shaded area
Notes:
Mini talks up to 90 minutes
Diana Drummey
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an Email
Topics:
Geographic Area:
Any
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: Projector, screen and microphone
Notes:
Unavailable until 1 July 2022.
Debby Dunn
6196949747
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an Email
Topics:
- Water Wise Plants, Irrigation Options and Rebates
- Landscape Design and the Best Plants for your Landscape
- Water Wisdom Workshop – How to Use Water Efficiently in the Garden and in the House
- Maintaining Your Water Wise Garden
- Turn Your lawn into a drought tolerant garden
- Water Wise Plants that Bloom and Invite Pollinators
- Composting – Backyard bins and Worm bins
Geographic Area:
Any, prefer North County and Coastal
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: Equipment Needed: PowerPoint setup: projector, screen, and cables (I’ll bring my USB drive)
Notes:
Prefer 60 + minutes per presentation. I will keep it entertaining and informative. I am willing to tailor the presentation to your specific topic.
Julio Estrada
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an Email
Topics:
- Aztecs, Horticultural Knowledge and Rituals- from Chinampas to Dia de Los Muertos
Geographic Area:
Any
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: None
Notes:
Presentations in either English or Spanish
Mary Friestedt
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an Email
Topics:
Geographic Area:
Prefer North County
Preferred Hours:
Daytime
Equipment Needed: Projector, screen and microphone
Notes:
Mary has been a Master Gardener since 2014, a docent at San Diego Botanic Garden since 2001 and a docent at Torrey Pines State Reserve since 2012
Heather Holland
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an Email
Topics:
- Summer Gardening
- Vegetable Gardening
- Compost Comparisons
- Vermicomposting
Geographic Area:
Any
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: None
Notes:
James Huizenga
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an Email
Topics:
- Playing with Worms
- Working with Kids
- Torrey Pines:Growing and Propagating
Geographic Area:
Within 20 miles of Tecolote Canyon
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: None
Notes:
Linda Jones
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an Email
Topics:
- Garden Ecology
- Native Plants
- Insects and their Management
Geographic Area:
Coastal (Pt. Loma to Carlsbad)
Preferred Hours:
Any, prefer before 8 p.m.
Equipment Needed: (PC based)
Notes:
Other interests in biology/ecology? Please ask.
Muriel King
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an Email
Topics:
- Pairing/Arranging Succulents to Create Living Art
Geographic Area:
Central San Diego, Coronado, El Cajon, South Bay regions and Imperial Beach
Preferred Hours:
No evenings; daytime only, Monday - Saturday
Equipment Needed: TV monitor or projector and screen (or plain white wall in place of the screen) for projecting PowerPoint slides
Notes:
Will showcase a variety of succulent compositions: Staging, arrangements, living pictures, living wreaths, and bonsai using a jade plant, give some instructions on how to create them and how to make a drain hole. In addition, show an example of a hypertufa container with the recipe to make one.
Susan Lenz, PhD
858 481-9913
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an Email
Topics:
- How to Create A Beautiful Garden: 10 Tips From A Master Gardener
- Tree Selection For Small Yards In Suburban Neighborhoods Of Southern California
- Products For The Garden: Helpful Or Just Snake Oil?
Geographic Area:
North and Central San Diego
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: Screen, projector, and darkened room
Notes:
Brenda Mannon
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an Email
Topics:
- Beginning Vegetable Gardening
Geographic Area:
Any
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: None
Notes:
Lisa Marun
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an Email
Topics:
- Plant Genetics: From Mendel's Peas to Your Tasty Tomatoes
- The History of Plants
- Seeds for Community and Conservation
Geographic Area:
Prefer Coastal North County
Preferred Hours:
Mornings
Equipment Needed: Screen, projector, remote, microphone
Notes:
Topic interests include species and habitat conservation (including potential legal, policy, and scientific aspects); learning and growing through our connections with plants and nature; and the role and impact of plants in dynamic ecosystems. Please contact me if you have any questions or presentation topic requests.
Maria Mata
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an Email
Topics:
Geographic Area:
South and Central San Diego County
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: None
Notes:
Susan Pacheco
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an Email
Topics:
- Boutique wines from your backyard
- Horticulture and Winemaking:From Vine to Cork
- Grapes in the Garden
Geographic Area:
Any
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: Screen, projector, remote, microphone
Notes:
With experience in both wine grape growing and wine making, Susan has a wealth of grape know-how. She has her own hobby vineyard and "garage winery" at her suburban home in Carlsbad. Susan's presentation will focus on home gardening of grapes, and wine making for personal use only. Commercial grape growing and winemaking will not be covered. If you don't see the grape topic you seek, please ask.
Shital Parikh
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an Email
Topics:
- Bokashi Composting
- Digging Deeper: Using a Microscope in the School Garden
- Using a Microscope in the Garden for Adults and Children
- Harmonious Cultivation: Using Crop Rotation and Companion Planting
Geographic Area:
Any
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: None
Notes:
Sharon Reeve
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an Email
Topics:
- Planning the Drought Tolerant Garden
- A talk for children: Pollinators in the Garden
- Designing with Succulents: Plant Selection and Principles
- Bulbs that Work for San Diego
- Planting for Pollinators
- San Diego Native Bees
Geographic Area:
Any
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: Projector Screen
Notes:
These are Power Point presentations
Min Shan
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an Email
Topics:
- Gardening in San Diego: Climate, Soil, Suitable Plants and Practices
- Fruit Trees
Geographic Area:
Any
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: Projector and screen
Notes:
Mandarin Chinese and English fluency.
Dawn Standke
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an Email
Topics:
Geographic Area:
Any, preferring North and Central San Diego County
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: Screen, projector, darkened room
Notes:
Topics:
Evidence-Based Horticulture – Myth-busting and fun facts about plants
See below for a sample of possible topics, or with enough lead time, request myth-busting for a gardening topic of your choice.
General Gardening Topics
Should I put gravel in the bottom of a container to improve drainage? Should I put banana peels on my soil? Will a “penny ball” drive away snails and slugs? Can copper nails kill trees? Is compost tea a garden miracle? How do I turn hydrangeas blue? How do I know how much nitrogen is in my fertilizer? Are my bananas slightly radioactive? Which plants can hurt me? Are green potatoes bad for me? What are some facts (not so fun!) about our new invasive mosquito species, the “ankle biter” or yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti.
How to grow microgreens. What is sunburn on citrus trees – how can I prevent it?
Tomatoes
What is blossom end rot? How do I get rid of it? Do eggshells or Epsom salts help? Does embedding a penny in a tomato stem prevent disease? Does adding salt or sugar to the soil make sweeter tomatoes? Should I plant my little tomato plant deeper than it was in the container? Should I prune off all my tomato plant’s “suckers”? What does a sunburned tomato look like?
Holiday Plants, History and Fun Facts
A light-hearted look at some of our holiday favorites.
How to Kill a Tree
Best practices for NOT killing your trees.
Responsible Pest Management
What is Integrated Pest Management (IPM)? What are “Less Toxic” pesticides? Who were the first gardeners? When did humans first use pesticides? What pesticide can damage farmland and affect the health of animals and people? What is the naturalistic fallacy? What are chemicals? Should I avoid them? Should I make natural tobacco tea to keep bugs off my plants? I spray neem oil for every garden problem – that makes me a good organic gardener, right? What does “The dose makes the poison” mean? What kind of insect is so difficult to kill that “an adult female...when sprayed with a solution so caustic that her back was burned black and hard and wrinkled, still retained use of all her organs”? What is biological control?
Earth-Friendly Gardens
How to self-certify your garden as Earth-Friendly. We will talk about the principles of responsible gardening:
• Select Appropriate Plants
• Nurture the Soil
• Practice Responsible Pest Management
• Protect Wildlife
• Conserve Water and Protect Water Quality
• Conserve Energy and Protect Air Quality
• Reduce Waste
• Grow Food
Linda Stewart
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an Email
Topics:
- What's This Bug and What Should We Do About It?
- Happy Houseplants, Healthy Home
- IPM for the Home Gardener
Geographic Area:
Any
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: None
Notes:
IPM stands for Integrated Pest Management. It is a method of dealing with your garden pests, both large and small, starting with the safest methods to reduce the populations to a tolerable level.
Beth Van Boxtel
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an Email
Topics:
- Rose tools and items ;sold at nurseries/stores to improve rose gardens (for nurseries only- I will talk about items available in your nursery without endorsing certain brands)
- Rose pests and diseases, and management for these
- Winter pruning rose demonstration and winter tips
- Best roses to grow in San Diego climates
- How to start a new rose garden
- How to exhibit roses in rose shows and the County Fair, and how roses are judged
- Rose care (any season), fertilizers, pesticides, and IPM
Geographic Area:
Any
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: Projector for laptop hookup or an existing laptop setup to accept my thumb drive. A microphone would be nice. If a projector is not available then I would need a table.
Notes:
Certified Consulting Rosarian for the American Rose Society. My presentation can be 30-60 minutes.
Niki Vollrath
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an Email
Topics:
- Soils topics to meet your need
- Earth Friendly Gardens
Geographic Area:
Any, prefer North County and Coastal
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: Basic PowerPoint setup: projector, screen, connecting cables from my laptop
Notes:
Willing to tailor to your topic on the subject of soils
Lucy Warren
619 295-2489
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an Email
Topics:
- Gardens of Balboa Park,
- California Native Plants
Geographic Area:
Any
Preferred Hours:
Any
Equipment Needed: Projector and screen
Notes: