The Monarch Butterfly: A Pollinator That Galvanized an Army

Kathy Polkinghorn, UC Master Gardener, Yolo County

Photos by Kathy Polkinghorn, adapted

When I applied to become a Master Gardener in 2015 after a few years of retirement, I was not sure what to expect. Although my career took me in a different direction, I had a midwestern farm family background and a life-long affinity for plants. As a child I admired trees, as a young adult I collected houseplants, as a parent I grew a vegetable garden, and when we moved to a house with roses, I learned to prune. Retirement seemed like the time to learn more about the science of gardening in all its forms. I did not imagine the many new directions becoming a Master Gardener would take me.

My first brush with the subject of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) came in 2022 when I attended one of our continuing education programs on weed identification. We were invited to bring a weed for the university presenter to identify. I chose a tall, rangy, gray-green weed with large pods and white fuzz laden with small seeds that was growing, without any invitation, in the middle of a bed of yarrow, rosemary, California fuchsia, and sage in my backyard. That evening the presenter happened to choose my weed from the table of samples and as he lifted it out of the bag, he announced, “milkweed.” Two things flashed before my mind: a vision of two beautiful orange and black monarchs I had observed in my yard that June and the fact that I had been weeding their host plant.

With a wingspan between three to four inches and a distinctive harlequin orange and black coloring, the monarch has become the most recognized butterfly in the United States. Seven states have named them their state insect! There are documentaries and movies about them, they have appeared with Anderson Cooper in a 60 Minutes segment, and they are periodically reported on by the New York Times. Tourists climb above ten thousand feet to observe them in their wintering grounds at the Monarch Butterfly...

Join our Kitchen Garden Chat via Zoom

Treva Valentine, UC Master Gardener, Yolo County

Photo by Treva Valentine, adapted

In the past, when people mentioned to me that they garden, I always pictured them vegetable gardening. When I trained with the Master Gardener Program some thirty years ago, I quickly realized many people that garden don’t have anything edible in their landscape. That is fine of course, but Yolo County’s climate allows us to garden twelve months of the year and since during each of those twelve months, edibles can be grown, it makes so much sense to grow a kitchen garden!

As a master gardener it also seemed like a perfect topic for a class. In 2019 I started a class at the Woodland Library to help people figure out how to not only have a more successful summer kitchen garden but how to eat out of their garden all those other months when tomatoes do not grow.

Knowing what to plant at specific times of the year was only part of the challenge when the COVID lockdown spawned so many new gardeners. The class quickly moved to the Zoom format which we still use today in order to make it easy for anyone to join us.

On the first Saturday of every month, we talk about what we should be planting and what we could be harvesting. Pests and weather issues are also of interest. In any given month we take deep dives into topics like seed starting, seed saving, the why’s of crop rotation, soil improvement with cover crops, compost and mulches, and so much more. The class has a relaxed format where “any question is welcome as long as it is about edibles.” This flexibility opens many discussions that allow me to go off topic, but educate us all in the process.

The new year brings so many possibilities in our gardens. Maybe it’s the year to learn about growing horseradish or just how to get winter veggies started in the heat of August.

I hope you can join us on the first Saturday of each month from 10am to 11am. Please check the Yolo County Master Gardeners Upcoming Events webpage before the first Saturday of each month for more information and the Zoom link.

Ask a Master Gardener

This column is written by the Master Gardeners of Yolo County each month. It provides answers to selected questions recently asked by Yolo County gardeners..

This two question article previously appeared in the Winters Express and Davis Enterprise.

Have a gardening question? Send it to jmbaumbach@ucanr.edu, with “Ask MGs” in the subject line. Include as much detail as possible and pictures if you have them.

What’s a Stepover Fruit Tree?

Peg Smith, UC Master Gardener, Yolo County

Photo by Chuck Ingels, UCANR

January and February are the prime time for adding fruit trees to the garden. Many gardeners are dealing with smaller gardens where space is a premium. Often the consideration of adding fruit trees meets the thought ‘I don’t have enough room.’

Always Wanted Fruit Trees But Don’t Think You Have Space?

Here’s an idea that does not require canopy space or a large amount of garden space. A method of fruit tree training called ‘stepover pruning’ which is a modified espalier approach to fruit trees.

There are advantages to this technique for small and large gardens.

• Trees do not produce a tall or wide fruiting canopy to shade other growing areas.
• Ease of care – no ladder climbing for pruning.
• Ease of harvest – no ladder or long handled picker needed.
• Ease of pest control – growth is within reach allowing ease of observation to detect any disease or infestation. Mechanical control (hand picking of pests) is within easy reach. If any treatment is required local control of application is easy.

What Is A Stepover?

A stepover consists of a shortened trunk with a T-shaped form from side shoots, similar to a normal...

January Vegetable Planting Guide

Peg Smith, UC Master Gardener, Yolo County

The success of the brassica family started in January will depend on the number of nights with temperatures around 45°F and cool early spring temperatures. Cooler temperatures will yield better spring crops. Higher than normal temperatures will cause brassicas such as cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli to ‘bolt’ producing rapidly growing seed heads.

January is the prime month for adding perennial vegetables and fruits to the garden. Perennials such as artichoke, asparagus, and strawberries...

2026 Webinars from UC IPM

The Yolo Gardener Newsletter is a monthly publication and the events posted here are based on information available at the time of publication. For the most up-to-date information on our events CLICK HERE.

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