Master Gardener gardening toolkit

The following resources are commonly used by Master Gardener volunteers throughout the state to find reliable, research-based information about plant selection, planting and maintenance techniques, plant disease diagnosis, insect pest management, and other gardening topics.

Growing Your Own

About this publication Growing Your Own is now available as a bilingual publication in Spanish and English! Growing Your Own is now available as a bilingual publication in Spanish and English! It provides basic ...

Gail Langellotto | Aug 2022 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Sustainable Gardening: The Oregon–Washington Master Gardener Handbook

Learn about home horticulture, botany, soils, plant pathology and entomology. The handbook includes a full-color slip cover and spine and 3-hole-drilled body. Binder not included.

Anonymous | Oct 2008 | Extension Catalog publication Peer reviewed (Orange level)

Get the scoop on gardening with 10-Minute University handouts

10-minute presentations were so popular, they've stretched to 25

Kym Pokorny | Oct 4, 2019 | News story

10-Minute University Videos

10-Minute University™ is the trademark of short classes on essential gardening information, taught by Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardeners.

Jul 2018 | Online resource

Solve Pest Problems

Learn research-based, safe, and effective tactics for common garden and property pests and weeds. We provide non-chemical methods alongside the most effective and least toxic chemical options available, to reduce risk to people and the environment. Solve Pest Problems is a partnership between OSU and Oregon stakeholders to provide a user-friendly online resource to help urban and rural property managers to solve pest problems.

Weston Miller | Oct 2022 | Online resource Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Find More Gardening Resources

For gardening resources related to your region, find your local Master Gardener program or browse Extension's gardening resources.

To find specific information about a particular subject, you can search the Extension website or browse our educational topics.

May 2018

Want to learn more about this topic? Explore more resources from OSU Extension: Gardening techniques

Was this page helpful?

Related Content from OSU Extension

How to extend the growing season in tough climates

Home gardeners can sometimes be too eager to get plants in the ground and that can spell failure. There are methods, however, to extend the growing season by providing plants with the protection they need from the cold.

Nicole Sanchez | Oct 2019 | Article

Internal plant parts

Understanding plant cells and meristems is important for successful vegetative propagation and manipulation of plant growth and flowering. This article provides an introduction to these characteristics of plant cells.

Ann Marie VanDerZanden | Jan 2008 | Article Peer reviewed (Gray level)

Portland rain garden example

Take a guided tour through a rain garden to see the variety of ornamental and edible plants that do well in the flooded and dry areas. Learn how this type of landscape reduces rainwater runoff at your home.

Robert Emanual | Mar 2020 | Video

Klamath County Master Gardeners design and deliver ‘DIY’ irrigation program

Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardeners in the county researched alternative lawns and sought ways to help gardeners understand drip irrigation better.

Nicole Sanchez | Mar 2024 | Impact story

Now’s the time to plan for cover crops

Cover crops can add organic matter and aerate the soil, protect it from compaction caused by rain, suppress weeds and reduce erosion,

Kym Pokorny | Sep 9, 2022 | News story

Give overgrown trees a makeover with new OSU pruning video series

Knowledge is everything when it comes to pruning mature trees.

Kym Pokorny | Feb 18, 2022 | News story

Save money and help the planet with sustainable garden practices

We can all do our part to help by changing our practices – often just by a bit, depending on the methods you’ve already put in place.

Kym Pokorny | May 28, 2021 | News story

With a few tips and patience, Western Oregon gardeners can grow melons

If you’re choosing varieties for Western Oregon, look for melons that require a shorter season.

Kym Pokorny | May 24, 2021 | News story

No room for vegetables? Pot up your plants

There are some dwarf and miniature varieties of vegetables, such as Thumbelina carrots or other baby vegetables that work particularly well in small confines.

Kym Pokorny | Mar 26, 2021 | News story

With the right care, asparagus beds will produce for decades

Asparagus is a hardy perennial and should be planted as soon as the soil can be properly prepared in the spring.

Kym Pokorny | Feb 12, 2021 | News story

Learn the terms on seed packets to make the right selection

Understanding terms associated with seeds will help you pinpoint which selections best serve specific gardens and practices.

Kym Pokorny | Jan 23, 2021 | News story

Feed birds in winter with berry-bearing plants

Birds eat berries in winter for food to give them the energy they need to survive the prolonged stress of cold and wet weather.

Kym Pokorny | Jan 16, 2021 | News story

Turn to gardening books for comfort and inspiration

Add a fire and a cup of tea and relax with one of these 11 books recommended by Oregon State University Extension Service horticulturists.

Kym Pokorny | Dec 18, 2020 | News story

Take one more go at the garden before retiring for winter

You’ll recognize some perennials that are good choices to clean up now because they die to the ground.

Kym Pokorny | Nov 20, 2020 | News story

Microscopic worm that liquefies slugs may be answer to controlling this invasive pest

In Oregon at least half of the 20 top agricultural commodities suffer from slug damage.

Kym Pokorny | Nov 16, 2020 | News story

Myth vs. reality: What’s the truth behind some common gardening practices?

Experts from Oregon State University Extension Service stepped up to bust some common gardening myths.

Kym Pokorny | Jul 14, 2023 | News story

Control slugs now as they lay eggs to hatch in spring

Slugs aren’t crazy about winter and summer. They bail from cold or hot weather. But fall and spring are agreeable seasons for slugs.

Kym Pokorny | Oct 28, 2022 | News story

Have a question? Ask Extension!

Ask Extension is a way for you to get answers from the Oregon State University Extension Service. We have experts in family and health, community development, food and agriculture, coastal issues, forestry, programs for young people, and gardening.

Ask us a question