Pima Master Gardener program

The Tucson Garden Handbook is a guide for helping people successfully garden in our desert environment.  This guide can be used by gardeners at all levels of expertise, but is especially helpful for those new to desert gardening.  The Handbook includes how to grow: cacti and agave, desert adapted trees, vegetables and herbs, citrus, flowers and roses.  It also contains guidelines for watering, working with your soil, integrated pest management, and much more.  You can buy the Handbook at the following retail outlets. The cost is $10.

                         PCMG Handbook Vendors

Thank you to #ThisIsTucson for adding the Pima County MG Handbook to your "2020 Summer Reading Challenge"! 

View our handbook and the other great reads on the list, here: 2020 Summer Reading Challenge

Presented by the Pima County Master Gardeners

Note - These classes will be online and live on zoom. You will need a computer or smart device to attend. 

You must register in advance for these meetings using the links above: 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Thanks and see you there!

• Tue Jun 23 1:30 pm    10 Things to Do for Better Citrus                 Register 

presented by Deb North     Join us to discuss the Top 10 Things you can do to ensure that your Citrus trees are in optimal growing condition. This will be a beginners level class that even those with long experience growing citrus will enjoy.

Overflow Citrus class - if you did not get into the above class, here is a 2nd session

• Fri Jun 26 5:30 pm    10 Things to Do for Better Citrus                 Register 

presented by Deb North     Join us to discuss the Top 10 Things you can do to ensure that your Citrus trees are in optimal growing condition. This will be a beginners level class that even those with long experience growing citrus will enjoy.

• Wed Jun 24 5:30 pm    Squash, Melons & Cucumbers                     Register 

presented by Toni Moore     Grow these heat-loving members of the Cucurbit Family all summer long. From small varieties suitable for containers, to huge vines growing squashes that will store all winter, we’ll help you figure out how to have success in your garden with these popular garden vegetables.

• Thurs Jun 25 11:00 am    Native Pollinators and the Plants They Love           Register 

presented by Kathleen Roberts      Our southwestern landscape diversity attracts many pollinators, including 1300 species of native bees, 18 species of hummingbirds, and 3 species of nectar bats that migrate back south to overwinter. Learn about our favorite insect and bird friends, what plants they love and how to meet their requirements in your backyard. You won't need a bird feeder to bring the flutter, hum and buzz of wildlife when your yard is overflowing with native perennials, milkweeds, flowers, and agaves!

• Sat Jun 27 1:00 pm    Pruning Part 1: basics & shrubs                                     Register 

presented by Toni Moore     

Pruning is a complex topic, so we've split it up into two classes. Sign up for either or both. 

Today will cover the basic principles of pruning with an emphasis on woody shrubs. What is rejuvenation pruning and when should you be using it? What's the difference between shearing, heading, and size reduction, and which should you be doing? We'll also talk about tools and when NOT to prune.

• Sun Jun 28 1:00 pm    Pruning Part 2: trees and more techniques                Register 

presented by Toni Moore     

Pruning is a complex topic, so we've split it up into two classes. Sign up for either or both.

More about the basic philosophy and techniques of pruning, with an emphasis on trees & palms. Learn about the 4 D's, and how pruning can help increase the beauty and prolong the life of your trees

• Tues Jun 30 1:30 pm    Pest Management Basics: Gardening by the IPM Calendar             Register 

presented by Deborah North     

All gardens have insects, but not all insects need to be eradicated. Learn from a Master Gardener the principles of Integrated Pest Management and how it can help you deal with insects in your garden in an economical and ecologically sensitive way.

• Thurs Jul 2 11:00 am    Shade Gardening             Register 

presented by Kathleen Roberts     

A “too-shady” yard can be an opportunity to create a beautiful garden with plants that flourish with little light. Trees,succulents, flowers, you can have it all even under the shade of old established trees. Come and learn from Master Gardeners how to create your own Shade Garden

UPDATE [3/16/2020] In support of our community's health and following guidance from the University of Arizona, Centers for Disease Control and others, we are postponing this year's sale. Please stay tuned for further updates as we continue to monitor the situation.  

Our Master Gardeners in Propagation have been busy nurturing beautiful inexpensive plants as well as some unusual selections. 

Here are some of the plants we will be featuring in our sale: 

• Fruit: Strawberries, blackberries, figs and pomegranates.

• Butterfly Attractants: Flowering shrubs and plants for the adult butterfly nectar such as Lantana, Mt. Lemmon Marigold, Mexican Flame Vine; as well as larval food, ie. Plants meant to be eaten by the caterpillars, such as Milkweed, Rue, Parsley and Fennel.

• Hummingbird Attractants: Salvia’s of all sizes and colors, Sages and many flowering shrubs. We will feature many southwest native plants such as Parry’s Penstemon and Brittle Bush.

For the cacti and succulent lovers we will have large Crested Peruvian Apple Cactus and many varieties of succulents, including Crown of Thorns, Slipper Plants, Climbing Aloes, assorted Agaves and Trichocereus cactus of differing colors.

We also have young Moringa trees and several mature trees, such as Ponytail Palm and Madagascar Palm – bring your trucks along with some muscle!

We have an abundance of bulbs, such as Iris and Rain Lilies as well as ground covers and plants that Desert Tortoise’s love to eat.

We will have Master Gardeners available to answer questions and to help you pick the perfect plant whether to entice our feathered friends or to lure some tropical butterflies into your flight path.  In addition, we will have quality compost, garden art, decorated pots, handbooks, and soil probes available for purchase.

            Come join the fun, support a great “for the public, not-for-profit” group of volunteers and add some new life to your garden. Cash and checks only please.  Sorry, no debit/credit cards.

• Tucson Area Gardening Links

• PCMG Partnerships