Publications from UC
ANR publications catalog
We are committed to bringing products of the highest quality to the people of California and beyond. (Agriculture and Natural Resources, UC, Davis)
Pest Notes for Home and Garden (UC statewide IPM project)
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Environmental Protection Agency Topical and Chemical Fact Sheets
University of California IPM
Toxicity of Pesticides (PDF) University of Florida
Handling Vertebrate Pests
Humane Wildlife Management Services
Sustainable no-kill solutions to conflicts with wildlife
Gophers Limited
Gopher, mole and solutions for any animal and human conflict without the use of poisons. Offering all animal control, consulting and training.
Plant Databases
Calflora database
Information about the 8375 currently recognized vascular plants in California
Calflora's Species
"The Calflora Database contains information on 7500+ ferns, conifers and flowering plants known to be native or naturalized in the wild in California. Our species database also contains 700+ records for species-level plants (so called "parent" records) where two or more subspecies occur in California, bringing the total number of taxon records to more than 8000. Parent level records include characteristics from all "child" subspecies.
Our basic search form allows you to search by family name, common name, scientific name, county, elevation range, growth form, native status, rarity status, plant community, and more."
Calflora's What Grows Here
"What Grows Here is a new Calflora project which emphasizes what plants have been observed growing near a particular place. Through this interface, users can pick a place in Calfornia by any of several different approaches (eg. by town, zip code, watershed, park etc.). Results are displayed in a list (with or without photos), and as points on a relief map."
Dave's Garden PlantFiles
HortiPlex database
Wikipedia
PlantFacts
USDA Plants Database (Natural Resources Conservation Service)
USDA Fact Sheets and Plant Guides
Online Plant Guide
"Your resource for all that is green"
Las Pilitas
This nursery specializes California native plants, and has an extensive searchable database. The whole site is a treasure trove of information about native plants and habitats. You can type in your zip code and find out what your local plant community is!
The Garden Web (WWW Virtual Library)
CalPhotos
CalPhotos is a collection of 212,421 photos of plants, animals, fossils, people, and landscapes from around the world.
Plant Facts - Ohio State University
Landscape Plants - Oregon State University
California Wildflowers - California Academy of Sciences
California Gardens - Native Plant List
Fire-Resistant California Friendly Plant List
The Theodore Payne Foundation California Native Plant Library
General Gardening Information - Tips and Techniques
UCCE California Gardening site
The University of California Statewide Master Gardener Program has launched a new Web site to serve as an information portal for California gardeners. The UC Statewide Master Gardener Program staff designed the Web site to organize and extend UC's vast store of research-based information about gardening, landscapes and lawns to the public.
The Web site focuses on sustainable gardening practices and uses a question and answer format to present solutions. A blog on the Web site's home page, updated weekly, highlights gardening content pertinent to the season. The site also links to useful gardening resources on other UC Web pages.
Renee's Gardens
How-To and Techniques Guides
The Garden Helper (vegetable planting times)
The Veggie Lady free organic gardening advice
The Monterey Bay Master Gardeners' 'what's bloomin'
database of locally observed bloom times
Thompson and Morgan Seed Sowing Guide
Vegetable Garden Basics (UC, PDF)
Native Plants for Coastal Gardens (PDF, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden)
Gardening with Native Plants - Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden
Gardening for Bees - UC Berkeley
Food
Food Preservation and Safe Handling (UC)
UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP)
Sustainable Community Food Systems
American Community Gardening Association (ACGA)
The Association supports community gardening by facilitating the formation and expansion of state and regional community gardening networks; developing resources in support of community gardening; and, encouraging research and conducting educational programs.
UC Home Gardening Preservation, and Storage Publications
Home Vegetable Gardening (UC, PDF)
Growing Seed Sprouts at Home (UC, PDF)
How to grow edible sprouts at home while avoiding food safety hazards.
Home Vegetable Gardening - 2 one-hour (YouTube) films from the UC Master Gardener Program
Part One Part Two
View at home on your computer
Composting
Mastercomposter.com
Everthing you want to know about composting
Santa Cruz County home composting program
Home Composting For Monterey County
Compost in a Hurry (UC, PDF)
Simple, straightforward tips to help you generate useable compost in as little as 2 or 3 weeks.
Protecting the Environment
The Nature Conservancy, California
The mission of the Nature Conservancy is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive.
California Coastkeeper Alliance
CCKA coordinates, supports, and enhances the work of the local California Waterkeeper programs to provide a statewide voice for safeguarding California’s waters, and its world-renowned coast and ocean, for the benefit of all Californians and for California’s future.
Nature Serve
NatureServe is a non-profit conservation organization whose mission is to provide the scientific basis for effective conservation action. NatureServe and its network of natural heritage programs are the leading source for information about rare and endangered species and threatened ecosystems.
California Invasive Plant Council
California is home to 4,200 native plant species, and is recognized internationally as a "biodiversity hotspot." Approximately 1,800 non-native plants also grow in the wild in the state. A small number of these, approximately 200, are the ones that this Inventory considers invasive. Improved understanding of their impacts will help those working to protect California's treasured biodiversity.
California Department of Fish and Game Habitat Preservation
provide for the conservation, protection, restoration, and management of fish, wildlife, and native plants and to preserve and restore the ecosystems (including ecological processes) on which they depend for use and enjoyment by the public.
Invasive Species
The Invasive Species Program participates on efforts to prevent the introduction of non-native invasive species in California, detect and respond to introductions when they occur, and prevent the spread of non-native invasive species that have become established.
Rare Plant Program
The Rare Plant Program coordinates conservation activities for the State’s listed plants, including listing and plant collecting and research.
Plant Right
PlantRight is a voluntary, proactive program for the horticultural community to prevent invasive plant introductions through horticulture. PlantRight was designed by the steering committee of California Horticultural Invasives Prevention (Cal-HIP) partnership to communicate the need to transition away from invasive plants in the gardening and landscaping trade.
Lawn Care
UCCE Guide to Healthy Lawns
Lawn Watering Guide for California (UC, PDF)
A straightforward method to help homeowners set up timed irrigation systems for lawns anywhere in California.
Mowing Your Lawn and Grasscycling (UC, PDF)
Grass clippings make up a surprisingly large portion of California’s solid waste stream during the growing season. Learn how to properly mow your lawn, how to “grasscycle” the clippings, mower safety tips and more.
Organizations
California Native Plant Society
CNPS List of Native Plant Nurseries
Santa Cruz County Chapter.
Meets the second Mon. of odd months, 7:30 pm, Natural History Museum, 1305 East Cliff Dr., Santa Cruz. Native plant propagation group meets the third Sun. of each month, 9:00 am, Suncrest Nursery (east of Watsonville).
Contact Mike Luther, 831-688-3897 or Denise Polk, 831-685-3235 for information.
Monterey Chapter
Meets the third Thurs. of the month, Sept. through June; social half hour 7:00, meeting 7:30. Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, Forest and Central Avenue, Pacific Grove.
Contact Brian LeNeve, email: leneve@redshift.com
Carmel Orchid Society
Meets the first Mon. of the month (except Sept. and Dec.), 7:30 pm, First Presbyterian Church, 501 El Dorado, Monterey. Contact Ida Hale, 831-646-8724 (email: imaryhale.com).
Carmel Valley Garden Association
Meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month, usually at 7:00, at the Carmel Valley Community Center on Ford Road.. Membership and meetings are open to all.
Monterey Bay Orchid Society (no website)
Meets the second Thurs. of the month, 6:30 pm, Via Verde Medical Group, 1332 Natividad Road, Suite C, Salinas.
Contact
Aaron Yaras, 831-663-3953; for more information call 831-375-6871.
Santa Cruz Orchid Society
Meets the first Fri. of the month, 7:30 pm, Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave., Santa Cruz. See each other’s blooming orchids, learn about orchids from a speaker, and have a chance to buy orchid plants from each other. A recognized expert in orchid growing and/or hybridizing speaks at our monthly meetings. Visitors welcome !!
Contact Richard Borden: santacruzorchids@yahoo.net
Monterey Bay Cactus and Succulent Society
Meets the third Sun. of the month, 12:30 pm; potluck lunch followed by presentation. VFW Building, 1960 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville.
Call 831-449-2002 or 831-722-1446 for more information.
Monterey Bay Iris Society
Meets the third Fri. of the month (regular meetings not held in July and Dec.; as the Society holds a picnic in July and adinner in Dec.), 7:30 pm, Native Son’s Hall, 239 High Street, Santa Cruz.
Contact Diane Samson, 831-728-1339.
email: debsamson @baymoon.com.
Monterey Bonsai Club
Meets the first Tues. of the month, 6:30-9:00 pm, Hilltop School (corner of David Ave. and Jesse St. in Monterey). Contact Tim Shea, 831-663-4780 email: ladyredshea@yahoo.com.
Watsonville Bonsai Club
Meets the second and fourth Mon. of the month, 6:30pm, Kizuki Hall, 150 Blackburn Street, Watsonville (across from the Watsonville High School tennis courts).
Call 831-724-9283 or 831-663-5044 for more information.
Santa Cruz Bonsai Kai
Meets the third Sat. of the month, 9:00 am, Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave., Santa Cruz. Contact Jim Carlson,
831-761-3531.
Salinas Bonsai Club (no website)
Meets the fourth Tues. of the month, 7:00 pm, Firehouse Recreation Center, 1330 Alisal St., Salinas. Also meets first
Sat. of the month, 1-3 pm, Lincoln Avenue Presbyterian Church, 526 Lincoln Ave., Salinas.
Contact Clair Binder,
831-422-5436.
Monterey Bay Rhododendron Society (no website)
Monterey Bay Chapter. Meets the third Tues. of the month, 7:00 pm, Live Oak Senior Center, Santa Cruz.
Monterey Bay Rose Society
Meets the fourth Fri. of the month (except June and July),
7:00 pm, Aptos Grange Hall, 2555 Mar Vista Drive.
Contact Otto Lund, 831-426-0824, email: jtlund@sbcglobal.net.
Central Coast Heritage Rose Group
Meets twice a year in Jan. and Sept.; also a spring garden party or tour. Membership dues (to be on mailing list): $1.00. Contact Central Coast Heritage Rose Group, 829 32nd Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95062; Jill Perry: 831-462-4916,
email: perry@calcentral.com.
Monterey Bay Dahlia Society
Meets the second Fri. of each month, 7:00 pm (potluck dinner), 7:30 pm meeting.
Simpkins Family Swim
Center, Community Room, 979 17th Ave., Santa Cruz.
Contact Kevin Larkin, 831-722-9952, email: kevin@cgdahlias.com
American Begonia Society
Monterey Bay Branch. Meets the fourth Wed. of the month, 7:30 pm, Crossroads Community Room, Carmel.
Contact Fred Crummey, 831-624-4154, email: kcrum@aol.com
California Rare Fruit Growers
Monterey Bay Chapter. Meeting times and dates vary.
Contact Chuck Rusk, 831-728-6515,
Gardeners' Club (no website)
Meets at 7 pm on the second Thurs. of the month at Aptos Grange Hall, 2555 Mar Vista Drive, Aptos.
Contact
831-662-1395, sirleen@hotmail.com
Santa Cruz Garden Club (no website)
Meets first Thursday of every month; site varies
Contact Joy Hickey 831-722-2300
Western Horticultural Society
Founded in 1963, the Western Horticultural Society is made up of horticulturists, botanists, landscape designers and architects, nursery people, students and avid gardeners. The monthly programs are designed to appeal to the dedicated plant lover.
Master Gardeners Recommend...
Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply (online)
"Since 1976 we've worked hard to bring you the lowest possible prices on organic growing supplies, natural fertilizers, organic pest control, organic seeds, and so much more! Everything you need for your organic garden or organic farm all in one place. Generous quantity discounts allow you to stock up and save. We only carry premium quality products: Guaranteed. Peaceful Valley is your source for everything you need to Grow Organic... For Life!"
(Recommended by Betsy Shea and Patty Nicely)
Misc
Topsoil Cover Quantity And Cost Calculator (website)
