Master Gardeners of WSU-Snohomish County Extension

09/01/2026

🌱 The Washington Gardener Certificate course starts October 5!
Ready to dig into sustainable gardening, community impact, and lifelong learning?
🗓️ Register by September 30—this course only happens once a year!
🔗 WA Green School | Washington State University

07/21/2026

It's hard to think about fall cleanups in the current heat, but it's really just around the corner. Might as well be ready to do it right!

How much fall cleanup is really necessary?

Many of us have been taught to cut everything back, rake every leaf, and leave the garden looking tidy before winter. But those same stems, leaves, and seed heads may provide important habitat for native bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.

In this episode of The Evergreen Thumb, I talk with an entomologist and WSU Extension Master Gardener volunteer from Chelan-Douglas County about what happens to pollinators after summer ends, where bees spend the winter, and how gardeners can balance fall maintenance with supporting wildlife.

You'll learn:
🌿 Where bees go in winter
🌿 Which garden materials provide valuable habitat
🌿 When fall cleanup makes sense—and when it can wait
🌿 Simple steps to make your garden more pollinator-friendly

Listen wherever you get your podcasts or at buff.ly/qto55NI

07/20/2026

Thanks for the laugh, Pierce County MG's!😀

Friday Fun!🤣

07/17/2026

Applications are now open! Join the WSU Extension Master Gardener Program and become part of a network of university-trained volunteers dedicated to sustainability, climate resilience, and local food access. No experience needed—just a passion for gardening and giving back!

Find all the details at this link: https://extension.wsu.edu/snohomish/mg-home/join-us/

Join us! The 2026-2027 WSU Extension Snohomish County Master Gardener Basic Training application will open at 9:00 am on June 1, 2026, and close at midnight on July 31, 2026.…

07/15/2026

A great summary of the two educational tracks offered by the WSU Master Gardener Program. Which is right for you?

Which track will you choose?
Washington Gardener Certificate or WSU Extension Master Gardener Program?

Read more at:
https://greenschool.extension.wsu.edu/?

07/15/2026

I don't know about others, but I could always use opportunities to avoid making mistakes in my garden. I'll definitely be listening to this one....

Every gardener has a few successes they'd happily repeat, and a few decisions they'd never make again.

In this solo episode, I'm sharing some of the biggest lessons my own garden has taught me over the years. From letting dill and parsley self-seed (don't ask how many parsley seedlings I have now!) to discovering the best $10 I've spent in my garden, these experiences have changed how I garden.

I also talk about:
🌱 The volunteer plants I'm happy to keep
💧 Why I no longer water on a schedule
🧄 Why quality seed potatoes and garlic are worth the investment
🌾 Why straw mulch works so well in my vegetable beds
🦌 The garden improvements that made the biggest difference

What gardening decision are you glad you made? And what's one thing you'd do differently?

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts or at https://buff.ly/K6npc9B

07/03/2026

New resource alert! Meet the : Swallowtail butterflies

Discover this family of giants in our latest Quick Reference Guide! Swallowtail butterflies rely on a number of host plants to complete their life cycle depending on the species.

Find out what to plant to support your neighborhood swallowtails from caterpillars to adults and remember to contribute your butterfly observations to the Pollinator Week Bioblitz!

🔗pollinator.org/pollinator-week/resources

07/03/2026

The 2024 Annual impact report for the WSU Extension Master Gardener Program.

07/02/2026

Please join us at Evergreen Arboretum And Gardens on July 11 from 12-1 for a FREE Perennial Path talk with one of our very knowledgeable Master Gardeners on the topic, "Fabulous Ferns." For more information: please see the Snohomish County WSU Extension Events page. See you there!