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Giving Tuesday -- November 28, 2023

Giving Tuesday is the day when people around the world are inspired to support those who make positive changes in the lives of others. This year, we are inspired to kick off our Giving Tuesday event with a heartfelt “Thank You!” to everyone who gave generously on Giving Tuesday 2022. Your gifts helped us fulfill our mission of educating people in our communities with science-based methods of growing healthy food, reducing the use of pesticides, conserving water and gardening sustainably. 

We’ve Been Busy! 

Over the past year, our members have logged over 14,800 volunteer hours helping people in our communities. We’ve been:

•  Solving over 1300 Helpline cases
•  Giving 95 educational classes and workshops to the public
•  Maintaining and improving 12 public gardens
•  Holding workshops for San Mateo-San Francisco school garden leaders
•  Maintaining and monitoring bioswales in four coastal locations
•  Staffing Education Tables at Farmers’ Markets in San Mateo-San Francisco Counties
•  Expanding our program offerings and materials in Spanish and Chinese
•  Partnering with growing operations throughout San Mateo and San Francisco Counties to provide fresh produce to local food banks
•  Holding in-person Plant Clinics in four locations 
•  And lots more! 

Your tax-deductible gift on Giving Tuesday will go directly to our San Mateo-San Francisco County Program operating budget and make it possible for us to continue providing great science-based gardening resources to the public. 

Make it a triple!

Your tax-deductible gift goes even farther when you help us reach our goal of winning three challenge prizes of $500 each. We will be competing against all other UC Master Gardener chapters for these challenges:

• The most individual donations on Giving Tuesday
• The first single donation of $500 or more
• The largest amount raised on Giving Tuesday 

How to Donate

• Scan the QR code to your right, or click this link, then:
• Select the field “Choose a County” and from the dropdown list choose “San Mateo-San Francisco”
• Select "Refine Your County Selection" and from the dropdown list choose either "San Mateo" or "San Francisco" (your selection will go to the same place)
• Select “Choose a Designation/Designation” and from the dropdown list choose either “SMSF Master Gardener Fund” or SMSF Master Gardener Endowment Fund”

Thank you so much for your support!  We look forward to seeing you in the garden! 

Checklists for

September/October/November

UC Master Gardeners

Find information for the current season, or view other seasonal checklists using the left panel of our main website.

Serramonte Farmers Market

UC Master Gardeners Education Table

Serramonte Mall

133 Serramonte Center

Daly City, CA 94015

December 7, 2023, 9:00am-1:00pm

Visit the UC Master Gardener education table at the Serramonte Farmers Market. Master Gardener volunteers are available every other Thursday to answer questions regarding plants, planting techniques and more. The Farmers' Market is located behind Macy's. No registration is required.

Gifts at the Garden

UC Master Gardeners information Table

San Francisco Botanical Garden

1199 Ninth Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94122

December 16, 2023, 12:00pm-5:30pm

Master Gardeners will be staffing an information table at Gifts of the Garden at the San Francisco Botanical Garden. Visit the gift market to find a curated selection of sustainable, local and fair trade gifts alongside exclusive Gardens of Golden Gate Park merchandise, books and art. Stop by the Master Gardener information table to get answers to your gardening questions, learn more about our program and resources, or just to chat about plants.  Event is free to attend. RSVP is required.

Divisadero Farmers Market

UC Master Gardeners Education Table

1377 Fell Street

San Francisco, CA 94117

December 17, 2023, 9:00am-1:00pm

Visit the UC Master Gardener education table at the Divisadero Farmers’ Market. Master Gardener volunteers will be available every third Sunday to answer questions regarding plants, planting techniques, garden pests, and more. The Farmers Market is open Sundays year-round, 9:00am-1:00pm. Read more.

Serramonte Farmers Market

UC Master Gardeners Education Table

Serramonte Mall

133 Serramonte Center

Daly City, CA 94015

December 21, 2023, 9:00am-1:00pm

Visit the UC Master Gardener education table at the Serramonte Farmers Market. Master Gardener volunteers are available every other Thursday to answer questions regarding plants, planting techniques and more. The Farmers' Market is located behind Macy's. No registration required.

School Garden Leaders Workshop

UC Master Gardeners

San Carlos Library

610 Elm Street

San Carlos, CA 94070

January 20, 2024, 10:00am-12:00pm

Come learn and share ideas at our New Year’s workshop. Topics covered at this session include life of honey bees, advocating for school gardens, and a native plant tour at the beautiful San Carlos library garden. Workshop fee is a $20 donation which is requested to support the UC Master Gardener Program of San Mateo and San Francisco Counties. Registration is limited to 25 participants, and registration deadline is January 16, 2024, at 8:00pm. Registration is required.

Our Mission Statement is to extend research-based knowledge and information on home horticulture, pest management, and sustainable landscape practices to the residents of California and be guided by our core values and strategic initiatives. Follow us on Website, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, and YouTube.

PLANT PROBLEM DIAGNOSTIC TOOL

Choose the affected plant from photos displayed, click on the photo, remove any selections that do not apply, click on the plant names, and continue to filter selections to view the results for a possible diagnoses. Learn more.

GARDENING RESOURCES

Select links to access gardening resources, California Backyard Orchard, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), publications, and finding a local Master Gardener program.  Learn more.

ARBORETUM ALL-STARS

Do you need help picking plants for your sustainable home garden? Selecting from the “Arboretum All-Stars” list is an easy way to start making “green” choices for your great looking garden. Arboretum All-Stars are top plants recommended by the horticultural staff of the UC Davis Arboretum. They thrive in California’s Mediterranean climate and have qualities that make them great choices for sustainable home gardens. Use a searchable plant database to pick the perfect All-Star for your garden conditions. For more information, view their website.

NATIVE PLANT RESOURCES

Looking for plants native to California that are not only pretty but are pollinators and drought resistant? A few resources are: Xerces Society, California Native Plant Society, and Calflora, Or try a native plant database for plants within your zip code. This website will help you find the best native plants specifically for your area that attract butterflies and moths and the birds that feed on their caterpillars, based on the scientific research of Dr. Douglas Tallamy and Research Assistant Kimberley Shropshire.

CALIFORNIA INVASIVE PLANT COUNCIL

Browse the website to see all plants on the California Invasive Plant Council inventory, including both invasive plants and “watch” species. Clicking on the scientific name will take you to the Plant Profile where you will find links to more information on the plant.

 UC Master Gardener volunteers are ready help you and your garden. Have a question about gardening? Have a pest problem? Curious about what will grow well in your region? Submit your inquiry online. Or visit the Master Gardener Helpline by phone, email, on the web, or in person. For more information visit our website.