Santa Clara

Asparagus is a perennial plant that can produce for years if grown with care. Choose a site in full sun and prepare the soil well. The plants send up 5-foot tall, ferny growth over the summer, so plant them where they won't undesirably shade other plants. Asparagus plants will be either male or female. The…

Have a sick plant, an ailing tree, mysterious spots on leaves? Chat with a Santa Clara County UC Master Gardener via Zoom to diagnose your plant problems. You can also listen and learn while other people ask their questions. Priority will be given to questions emailed in advance.

Check back in September for our 2025 talks. Use our free Plant Daycare for your purchases, then join us for these great gardening talks and get your questions answered afterward. Talks are held outdoors on our parcel and will be about 45 minutes long.

Ginger, Zingiber officionale, is a tropical plant originally from southern China. It can be grown in Northern California with the right amount of care. The "root" portion used in cooking is a rhizome, technically not a root but an underground stem.

Celery is challenging to grow in most of Santa Clara County. It grows best at 60–65ºF though it will tolerate temperatures from 45–75ºF. But it is difficult to find a four-month growing period in Santa Clara County that stays within that temperature range.

Our Help Desk is here to answer gardening questions for Santa Clara County residents. Please review our plant diagnosis questions before contacting us. It will help you gather information so we can better assist you. For many issues, our Garden Help pages or the UC Integrated Pest Management website may give…

Need help with a school garden? Be sure to review the useful school garden advice we have gathered for you.

Our Corporate Outreach program provides onsite horticultural education and information at corporate garden sites in order to reach and serve the high-tech workers in Silicon Valley. We provide garden talks, help with pest management issues, provide oversight with seasonal plantings, etc. The sites have…

When to plant: January–March Harvest window: July–October, depending on variety Fertilization: Nitrogen in spring, additional applications based on tree age, health, and soil quality Dormant Pruning (January–February) to encourage vigor; Summer pruning (post-harvest) to control vigor

When to plant: January–March Harvest window: June–September, depending on variety Fertilization: Nitrogen in spring and fall, additional applications based on tree age, health, and soil quality Dormant Spray (December–February): depending on disease pressure, consider dormant sprays to control for aphids,…