DJ Q&A: Master Gardener Maggie Mah

MM: Professionally, I am an independent consultant to the food and beverage industries in the area of new product development. I’m active in the equestrian community and my husband and I are both involved in committees for the Town of Woodside. I also do agility training with my dog, Terra, a Jack Russell Terrier.

DJ: What was your own first experience with gardening?

MM: My dad was a great gardener and I observed what he did, but my first “hands on” experience was starting seeds for an elementary school project. My mother sacrificed a baking pan to use as a seeding tray. I still have the pan but it has long since returned to its original purpose.

DJ: Master Gardeners hosts its Spring Garden Market and Educational Fair on April 13 at the San Mateo County Fair Grounds in San Mateo. What will happen there?

MM: Lots of people have been hard at work for months to make this happen! First of all, there is our plant sale featuring 34 varieties of tomatoes plus peppers, squash, herbs, strawberries, pollinator plants, California native plants and much more. All of the plants are propagated by UC Master Gardeners. So much care goes into growing these plants. We have information tables where attendees can speak directly with experts on soil, sustainability, pest management, native plants, herbs, roses, etc. The education fair features presentations throughout the event on a range of topics such as growing tomatoes, tree care, gopher management, etc. It’s gratifying to see so many people excited about our plants and curious to learn more. It’s a great day!

DJ: How did UC Master Gardeners of San Mateo & San Francisco Counties get started?

MM: Origins of the program date back to the 1860s when Congress passed the Morrill Act (signed by Abraham Lincoln in 1862), which granted federally owned lands to each state for the creation of public colleges and universities. This was a revolutionary idea at the time, as institutions of higher learning then were private, exclusive and expensive. In return for the land, public universities like the University of California and others were required to provide research-based information to the public. This is how Cooperative Extensions came into being. The Master Gardener program was established in the 1970s in Washington State as a way to help Cooperative Extension agents meet public demand for agricultural help. Volunteers were recruited, trained and given the title “Master Gardener.” The first Master Gardener program in California was established in 1980 and now has chapters in 53 counties. The San Mateo and San Francisco program was started in 2005. We now have nearly 200 Master Gardeners with 38 new recruits currently in training. In the past year, members have logged more than 15,000 hours helping people in our communities.

DJ: What does Master Gardeners offer?

MM: As agents of the University, Master Gardeners provide people with research-based information on everything related to home horticulture, sustainable landscape practices, pest management and more. We provide personalized trouble-shooting and advice on anything plant-related via our help line. We hold classes and workshops throughout the year, both live/in-person and via Zoom, and have expanded our offerings and materials in Spanish and Chinese. We publish a monthly newsletter, post news and information on our website and social media channels, and offer videos on our Youtube channel. We contribute monthly gardening articles to Half Moon Bay Review, Pacifica Tribune and others. We hold workshops for School Garden leaders in both San Mateo and San Francisco. We hold live plant clinics in four locations, maintain 12 public gardens, four coastal bioswales and have education tables at farmers’ markets in San Mateo and San Francisco counties. Our members also partner with growing operations in both counties to provide fresh produce to local food banks. All of these programs and services are offered at no charge and are largely self-funded by each chapter. To find out more, sign up for the newsletter, and contact the help line on our website: https://ucanr.edu/sites/MGsSMSF/.

DJ: What personal gardening do you do?

MM: I like to grow a variety of things according to the seasons and really look forward to growing lots of different tomatoes every year. We also grow hard neck garlic varieties — so different from what you can buy. I have roses and other flowering perennials, pollinator plants and natives. It’s really cool to find out which plants are indigenous to your specific location — kind of like stepping back in time. But it all depends on good soil so I maintain compost bins and make sure that everything has plenty of mulch.

DJ: What are your favorite public gardens in the Bay Area?

MM: We have so many great ones! There is the Gamble Garden in Palo Alto, Filoli in Woodside, the Arboretums in San Mateo and San Francisco, and the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park. The UC Master Gardeners of San Mateo and San Francisco Counties maintain a number of public gardens including The San Carlos Native Habitat Garden at the San Carlos Library, The Gardening Education Center in San Mateo, and the Foster City Library Habitat Garden.

DJ: Any words or advice to those who have never grown anything from scratch?

MM: Don’t be afraid! It may seem impossible that those tiny dry specks will actually become a living plant — I know because I have the same doubts every year. But prepare yourself with good information, good soil, good seeds and proper equipment. Then plunge in and watch the magic happen. Starting plants from seed is truly miraculous. If something doesn’t sprout or thrive, don’t be discouraged. Use it as an opportunity to learn. Observe, take notes, but don’t judge or give up!

Plants for your summer garden. The UC Master Gardeners of San Mateo and San Francisco Counties hold their Spring Garden Market and Educational Fair 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 13, in Redwood Hall at the San Mateo County Event Center, 2495 S. Delaware St. San Mateo. Free admission. Free parking. Pay by credit card, cash or check. For information about available plants and the live presentation schedule visit https://smsf-mastergardeners.ucanr.edu/Special_events/spring-garden-market-and-educational-fair/.