Fun at the fair - Marin Independent Journal

Fun at the fair

Marin County Fair to highlight the wonderful world of bugs

Monarch caterpillars feast on Asclepias fascicularis, commonly known as narrowleaf milkweed. PHOTO BY JANE SCURICH

A western bumblebee enjoys the nectar of a camellia flower. PHOTO BY JANE SCURICH

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By Jane Scurich

IJ correspondent

UC Marin Master Gardeners (MMGs) are ready to welcome you to the fair. We can’t wait to see you!

This year’s Marin County Fair theme is Bug-Tastic! — a theme made for Marin Master Gardeners. We are all about fostering good bugs and offering exit plans for bad bugs. Visit the MMG booth to learn about beneficial insects and those that are damaging, and how to deal with those destructive critters.

We’ve moved to a new location just east of the Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium. Look for the white and blue “Master Gardener” banner with the yellow poppy.

What can you expect to find in the MMG booth?

• Educational elements focusing on good bugs and bad bugs and how to encourage the good and discourage the bad.

• The Beetle Lady will have beetle cases on display, providing equal parts education and awe.

• See pollinator plants and California natives. (See something you like? Don’t miss the plant sale from 9 to 11 a.m. July 7. Come early for the best selection.)

By working together, we can save the planet, one garden at a time.

Why should you visit the MMG booth?

• Ask a Master Gardener: From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 2 through 6, UC-certified Master Gardeners will be available to answer your most perplexing gardening questions. Ask us for low-water, Earth-friendly and fire-smart ideas. Query us about your garden problems, fruit tree challenges and how and when to prune; we’re here to help.

• Be informed about MMG programs: farmers markets, outreach, school gardens, water walks and more.

• Discover how to attract pollinators to your garden.

• Learn how you can become a Marin Master Gardener.

• On Children’s Day, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 2, the MMG booth will offer a scavenger hunt. Search for hidden items while learning about plants and bugs.

• Looking to chill out while learning good gardening practices? This year, our speakers will be located in the Exhibit Hall, which offers air-conditioned comfort.

MMG Exhibit Hall speakers

• David Ross and Sharna Brockett will offer the fundamentals of aesthetic pruning. They will demonstrate techniques to shape plants in harmony with their natural structure at noon July 2.

• Judy Orsini will provide guidance on growing luscious strawberries. She’ll offer tips on recommended varieties, growing requirements and how to plant, care for and propagate strawberries at noon July 3.

• Are you aware that monarch butterflies are in danger of extinction here in California? Peter Noras will discuss their life cycle needs and practical steps that we can take to help them survive at noon July 4.

• Want to grow dahlias? Paula Jaffe is the person to give you advice. Learn how to successfully grow large, strong dahlias in our Marin clay soil at noon July 5. Jaffe grows more than 80 dahlias on two-thirds of an acre in Tiburon. Her “dazzling dahlias” were featured in an eight-page spread in Better Homes and Gardens.

• Interested in bird-watching and attracting birds to your garden? Did you know that more than 500 species of birds have been seen in Marin County? Paul Mauceli is an avid bird-watcher who will offer suggestions to help you build a simple, sustainable, bird-friendly habitat garden at noon July 6.

We are all about sharing good gardening practices, inviting pollinators and good bugs to your garden and helping your garden thrive with the least toxic pest prevention products possible. Learn more about Integrated Pest Management, an approach that enables you to solve pest problems with minimum impact on people, animals and the environment at ucanr.edu/site/uc-marin-master-gardeners/integrated-pest-management.

Marin Master Gardeners are looking forward to meeting you and sharing our knowledge to help you garden with your best bug buddies.

Visit our Marin County Fair website at ucanr.edu/site/uc-marin-master-gardeners/marin-county-fair to learn more about our speakers and see what plants will be on display and available at the plant sale on July 7.

Sponsored by UC Cooperative Extension, the University of California Marin Master Gardeners provides science- and research-based information for Marin home gardeners. Email questions to helpdesk@marinmg.org. Attach photos for inquiries about plant pests or diseases. Please call 415-473-4910 to see when a master gardener will be at the office or drop off samples 24/7 in the sample box outside the office. To attend a gardening workshop or subscribe to Leaflet, a free quarterly e-newsletter, go to marinmg.ucanr.edu.