UC Master Gardeners of Kern County

10/21/2026

Good information from our friends at UC IPM!

Do you know the difference between a house cricket and tropical house cricket? Learn more about these pests and how to control them in our latest blog article: https://ucanr.edu/blog/pests-urban-landscape/article/cricket-pests-urban-areas

10/20/2026

Happy National Apple Day!

National Apple Day was founded by the environmental charity Common Ground in the United Kingdom to celebrate apple varieties, orchard harvests in agriculture, and local food heritage. It is often dedicated to promoting local crops and reconnecting people with the land and locally grown produce.

So, what are the best apple varieties to grow in Kern County?

According to UC Davis crop profiles, the following varieties grow well in our climate as they are late season, high-chill and heat-tolerant.

Granny Smith - bright green skin, tart and crisp, great for eating fresh or for use in baking, excellent storage life, 200 - 300 chill hours

Fuji - light green skin with pink blush or stripes, sweet and crisp, great for eating fresh or for baking, excellent storage life, 400 chill hours

Gala - yellow-green skin with red-orange stripes, mild and sweet, great for eating fresh or for baking, stores well refrigerated, 500 chill hours

Honeycrisp - dappled red over yellow skin, juicy sweet-tart flavor, crisp texture, great for eating fresh and some baking, stores well refrigerated, 800 to 1000 chill hours

Jonagold - yellow-green skin with red blushing or stripes, sweet-tart flavor, great for fresh eating and baking, moderate storage life, 700 to 800 chill hours

Growing tips for Kern County:

Chill hours - chill hours are the number of hours during winter dormancy where the temperature is between 32°F and 45°F, choose cultivars that fall at or below the range of 400 to 700 chill hours (valley areas) and 800+ chill hours (mountain areas)
Irrigation - use consistent drip irrigation, especially in the hot summer months

Disease Management - monitor for common apple pests known in the San Joaquin Valley (Apple / Agriculture: Pest Management Guidelines / UC Statewide IPM Program (UC IPM)

Rootstocks - use semi-dwarf or dwarf rootstock for easier management and harvest

For more information, click the link below:
Crop Profiles for Apples in California - link in comment

Photo Description: green apples in a tree with green leaves and brown branches

Photo Credit: UCMG Dana Villicano

(Full Post on Facebook, complete with links!)

10/17/2026

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🏵 Interested in planting California Poppies in your garden for a beautiful spring bloom? We've got you covered!
UC Master Gardeners of Kern County says that October is the perfect time to plant your seeds as the weather cools down. We have California Poppy seeds to check out from the Seed Library on the Bookmobile! The Seed Library allows you to check out seeds to take home for FREE and plant in your garden. Visit us at one of our stops and check out other seeds available from the Seed Library!

10/15/2026

Read more about the incoming El Nino

10/15/2026

Our UCMG Emily shares her favorite garden, The Getty Center!

Many people go to The Getty Center to view art, but it also has a beautiful garden to explore.
Photo Credit: E Keverline
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Photo Description/Alt text: collage of various pictures of the gardens at The Getty Center

10/14/2026

Our UCMG Dana shares her favorite garden to relax in!

St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland by MG Dana

One of my favorite gardens I have visited was located in central Dublin, Ireland. St. Stephen’s Green is a historical public park and garden. It contains a garden for the blind, with scented and touchable plants that are labeled in Braille. It also has a lake, several statues, and a fountain with a statue of the Three Fates, a gazebo bandstand, and a playground for children. This park and gardens is such a relaxing place to wander through, sit and have lunch, or take a walk on your way to shopping or museums nearby.

Photo Description: trees line the background, with people seated on benches and walking on paved circular paths around green lawns, which surround pink and red flowers grown in circles. The blue sky has gray and white clouds, with a couple of birds flying.

Photo Credit: UCMG Dana Villicano

10/13/2026

Our UCMG Martin shares one of his favorite gardens to relax in.

The Sunken Garden at Butchart Gardens Photo by: Martin Varga

What was once a limestone quarry has been transformed into this extraordinary garden—a beautiful reminder of what thoughtful design, patience, and a little imagination can create. Everywhere you look, layers of color, texture, and form draw you deeper into the landscape.

📍 Butchart Gardens | Vancouver Island, British Columbia

10/11/2026

Our UC Master Gardeners were out at Kern River Valley Library for our monthly talks on Friday October 9th! The topic for this month was Fall Gardening. Next month we'll visit again for Composting!

We'll soon offer public gardening education classes at our UCCE Kern County Office too!

10/11/2026

Thank you for joining us yesterday!

10/09/2026

We're here tomorrow! Please kindly join us! We're talking everything fall gardening!

Are you interested in starting a fall garden, or have you already started one but would like helpful information about maintaining it? The certified Master Gardeners from University of California will be here TOMORROW at 11 AM to discuss everything you need to know about Fall Gardening!