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Dig It Newsletter Logo for October 2026

News from UC Master Gardener Program of San Diego County

"Advice to Grow by... Ask us!" 

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Joyce Gemmell's

Vegetable Gardening Guide

Cool-season veggie season has arrived!

Image of a person washing some carrots

Click this link to see local San Diego Vegetable Growing Guides:
and Click this link to find planting seasons and instructions for various fruits and vegetables:

 

The World of Weird and Wonderful Carnivorous Plants

This recent CALIFORNIA GARDEN Magazine article shares which carnivorous plants might thrive in our home or garden.

photo of assorted pinguicula

Click this link to access the piece:

 

Hotline FAQ: Are the Spectacular Pincushion Proteas I See Around San Diego Hard to Grow?

Answer: No! They’re a good match for our climate, thrive in poor, well-draining soil, and are generally drought tolerant.

Image of Pincushion proteas

Click here to access an article on growing Proteas:

 

Register for Free Zoom Community Workshops in October: Saturdays 10:00 – 11:30 AM

Classes include Herb Gardening, All About Ants and Grow Your Own Salsa Garden.


Image of an ant bait station


  • Herb Gardening October 10, 2026
  • All About Ants! October 17, 2026
  • Grow Your Own Salsa Garden October 24, 2026
  • Irrigation: Save Money on Water November 07, 2026


ZOOM Workshop | 10AM to 11:30AM

Register with this link:

 

Grow Your Own Grapes for Wine

This SAN DIEGO U-T article details how, with some planning and patience, you could grow enough wine grapes to produce a few cases of wine.

Image of grape vines in front of a house

Click this link to access the article:

 

Pest Note: Did You Know that Brown-Widow Spiders Dine on Black Widows?

They may scare you, but spiders are beneficial to our environment and are not out to get you. Look for this month’s SAN DIEGO U-T “Garden Mastery” article about which spiders live in San Diego.

photo of immature female western black widow spider

Click this link learn how to ID widow spiders:

 

Master Gardeners Are Here, There and Everywhere in October

Click this link to our calendar to locate an Ask-A-Master-Gardener booth near you:

photo montage of Master Gardeners at events
 

Quick Links

Missed any previous newsletters?

Follow this link to find them on our web site:


Thank you to our partners:

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The Master Gardener Association of San Diego County supports the University of California Master Gardener Program of San Diego County