Master Gardeners of Latah County - University of Idaho

10/09/2026

Beautiful fall foliage is ushering us in to the long dark winter. Visit the arboretum for an amazing adventure through the varied species and colors!

10/09/2026

09/07/2026

"Leaves are habitat, not trash...
One of the most valuable things you can do to support pollinators and other invertebrates is to provide them with the shelter they need to survive the winter. Thankfully, that’s pretty easy; all you need to do is do less yard work."

One of the most valuable ways to support pollinators and other invertebrates is to provide them with the shelter they need to survive the winter. Thankfully, all you need to do is do less yard work.

09/07/2026

08/28/2026

We love a good checklist for organizing our garden efforts. Here's a September checklist from our friends Oregon State University Extension which has many of our same USDA Zones.

Enjoy the late evening sun before it disappears for the next 6 months🌞☀

Depending on where in Oregon you reside, you may need to protect your garden from the harsh end-of-summer heat or start preparing for frost and gusty winds in September. Learn more in this guide.

08/12/2026

WSU Master Gardener Program coming in hot with more resources! Take a break in the shade or air conditioning and fertilize your gardening mind 🌼🌹🏵 (Go Vandals!)

Who do you trust when it comes to gardening advice?

Friends, family, gardening books, social media, and YouTube all offer plenty of suggestions. Some are backed by years of research. Others are based on personal experience, tradition, or marketing.

In this episode of The Evergreen Thumb*, Dr. Bryce Battisti explains what "research-based" means in the WSU Extension Master Gardener Program and why it matters for home gardeners. Learn how research shapes gardening recommendations, why those recommendations sometimes change over time, and where to find information you can trust.

Where do you go when you have a gardening question? We'd love to hear about your favorite trusted resources.

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts or on our website at buff.ly/clM0K3F.

08/12/2026

Hot weather? ☑
Dry winds? ☑
Water restrictions? ☑
Evidence-based research to answer all your questions? ☑☑☑
Thank you University of Idaho Extension, Ada County Master Gardeners

So Your Garden Thinks It's an Oven Now… 🍕🔥 Here’s how to keep your garden thriving through a heatwave:
​⏰ Water Early & Deep: Use drip lines or soaker hoses first thing in the morning to get water right to the roots. Check containers and young plants twice a day—they dry out fast!
​🪵 Mulch, Mulch, Mulch: Spread 2–3 inches of organic mulch (straw, bark, or compost) to insulate root zones and trap soil moisture.
​☂️ Throw Some Shade: Rig up a 30% shade cloth, a beach umbrella, or an old bedsheet during peak afternoon sun. Drag potted plants into full shade.
​💧 Mist in the Morning: A gentle early-morning mist boosts humidity and lowers foliage stress—just do it early enough so leaves dry before nightfall!
​🌱 Pull the Weeds: Keep beds weed-free so unwanted plants don't steal precious water and nutrients from your garden.
​💡 Quick Heatwave Rule: Skip fertilizing, heavy pruning, or transplanting until the weather cools down! Stressing plants further does more harm than good.

08/12/2026

Check out this presentation from our friends at Oregon State University! Making Your Garden More Climate Resilient

See more gardening videos at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=...

08/05/2026

Tips for managing Field Bindweed or morning glory in our region. Scientific Name: Convolvulus arvensis from the Latin word convolvo ("to twine") and arvense ("of the field"). Or perhaps a better name would be 'Mala herba infinitum horribilis' (roughly translation 'Evil plant is infinitely horrible'). ;)

08/05/2026

As we head into the hot, dry, crispy part of summer, check out these garden tasks from UI Extension Educator Jared Gibbons!

With Summer fully upon us I thought instead of just talking about a single topic, I would highlight various tasks that need to be done this time of year.