Master Gardener Foundation of King County

Grow the 'Other' Edible Nightshades: Pepppers, Tomatillos, Eggplant
2025-04-16 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
Grow the ‘Other’ Edible Nightshades: Peppers, Tomatillos, Eggplant with Extension Master Gardener, Jean Jones.
What does it take to grow sumptuous peppers, tomatillos, and eggplant? Are you hungry for tips to control those pesky flea beetles? Jean shares her expertise about cultivar selection, planting, growing, and enjoying these popular edible nightshades.
Cost to register: $8.00
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Board Elections Open
2025-04-15

Gardening with Children
2025-04-12 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
Gardening with Children. Speaker: Pauline O’Rourke, Extension Master Gardener and Instructor “Living Lab” and “Kids in the Garden” classes at the Bellevue Botanical Garden.
Presentation: Bring your children and grandchildren into the garden to learn about our natural world. They will discover where our food comes from, watch pollinators at work, and see how worms help our soil.
Cost to register: $8.00
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Board Meeting
2025-04-10 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-03-13 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-02-13 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-01-09 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-12-12 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-11-14 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-10-10 19:00 - 20:30 UTC | Online via Zoom Platform
The Master Gardener Foundation of King County holds two regular meetings: recurring Board Meetings and an Annual Meeting. Board meetings are regularly scheduled from 7:00-8:30PM the second Thursday of the month, generally via teleconference. Foundation members may attend any Board meeting as observers or by invitation. Contact Board President, president@mgfkc.org, if you would like to attend. Agendas and minutes of the Board meetings are found in the Foundation Board archives.

Special meetings may be called at any time by the President or by request of the membership. Notice of special meetings will be sent to the membership via e-mail not less than 10 days prior to the date of the meeting. [MGFKC By-Laws 5.5, January 2013; Article VII, Meetings]

The Board of Directors shall hold regular meetings at such times and places as the Board decides. Board meeting times and locations are regularly published in The Connection, the Newsletter of the Master Gardeners of King County and the Master Gardener Foundation of King County. Recent issues may be found under Resources / Newsletters.

NOTE: Most meetings are conducted via Zoom. In person Board meetings are usually held in the Extension Master Gardener program office at the UW Center for Urban Horticulture, 3501 NE 41st St., Seattle. During the summer months, the Board may move its regularly scheduled meetings to various Master Gardener gardens in order to become familiar with these locations. Changes to these locations will be posted here as they become available.

Beacon Food Forest: Seattle's Communal, Edible Landscape
2025-04-02 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
Beacon Food Forest: Seattle’s Communal, Edible Landscape with Beacon Food Forest Educator, Elise Evans.
In 2009, four friends looked at a bare sunny hillside in Jefferson Park and dreamed that the diverse and dynamic community of Beacon Hill could have a source of delicious, organic, free food. Fifteen years later, the Beacon Food Forest (BFF) has grown into a 4 acre community oasis where visitors speak many languages, children wander shaded paths hunting for berries, elders harvest herbs for medicinal teas and recent immigrants meet long-time residents while picking juicy tomatoes. In this class, Elise Evans, Seattle P-Patch Community Garden Coordinator at BFF, will introduce us to many edible plant varieties that are less familiar yet adapted to grow well in the PNW. She will discuss plant guilds and other strategies used to build a perennial forest ecosystem that is culturally relevant to people of many backgrounds; one that might also serve as a model for creating edible landscapes, both big and small, in the home garden setting.
Cost to register: $8.00
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Mastering Mason Bees: Essential Insights for Successful Spring Pollination
2025-03-22 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
Speaker: Dave Hunter, Owner and Founder of Crown Bees
Join Dave for an enlightening session designed for master gardeners. In this workshop, Dave will share his extensive knowledge on how to harmonize with nature to maximize the success of spring pollination with local native mason bee. Learn practical strategies and gain valuable insights that you can apply and pass on to others, ensuring a thriving and productive gardening season.
Cost to register: $8.00
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What's a Garden Without Tomatoes?
2025-03-19 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
What’s a Garden Without Tomatoes? with Extension Master Gardener Sharon Peach and 21 Acres Educator Ansley Roberts.
Most everyone that grows edibles dreams of those mouth-watering tomatoes. Whether grape-sized, cherry types, slicers, sauce or beefy types, tomatoes are prized in the garden. What does it take to be successful at growing great tomatoes? Join Master Gardener Sharon Peach as she shares her expertise about cultivar selection, planting, growing, and enjoying this popular food crop. Cap off the evening with Ansley Roberts, Farm Manager for 21 Acres, who will introduce us to “dry farming”. Not sure what that is? Come find out!
Cost to register: $8.00
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Best but Unusual Companion Plants for Rhododendrons
2025-03-08 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
Speaker: Atsuko Gibson, Nursery Manager at Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden
Whether your rhododendrons are big or small, there are always some plants that can be grown with them. Atsuko will introduce you to unusual perennials that pair well with your existing rhododendron plantings, or in a trough or large container planting.
Cost to register: $8.00
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All About Brassicas
2025-03-05 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
All About Brassicas with Extension Master Gardener Sue Kraemer and Extension Program Manager, SNAP-Ed, Hillary Miller.
The Brassicas are a huge family of tasty and nutrition-packed veggies that includes horseradish, radishes, broccoli, cabbage, collards, cauliflower, kale, arugula and more! Brassicas are prominent in world-wide cuisine. These cool weather vegetables are among the first planted each year, and some can be grown throughout the year to add seasonal variety to your dinner menu. In this class, Extension Master Gardener Sue Kraemer and SNAP-Ed Program Manager Hillary Miller will discuss health benefits, variety selection, cultural requirements, major diseases and pests, and how to entice youth to “eat your veggies”.
Cost to register: $8.00
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Wildlife Friendly Gardening for Natural Pest Control
2025-02-22 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
Speaker: Laura Matter, Seattle Tilth
When you create a wildlife friendly habitat for birds and insects, they in turn will provide you with natural pest and weed control. This class will teach you about the plants and design techniques that attract these delightful creatures to visit and live in your backyard.
Cost to register: $8.00
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Essential Culinary Combinations
2025-02-19 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
Essential Culinary Combinations with Extension Master Gardeners Gia Parsons and Wendy Jordan.
Many cultures use a specific combination of veggies and herbs to form the flavor basis for soups, stews and sautés. In this class, EMG and Shorewood Demo Garden Culinary Arts instructor Wendy Jordan teams up with EMG and Marymoor Community Garden coordinator Gia Parsons to introduce us to the aromatics of world-wide cuisine. Many of the ingredients can be grown right here in the PNW! Our presenters will tell us how.
Cost to register: $8.00
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Balcony to Backyard: PNW Climate Adapted Gardening
2025-02-08 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
Speaker: Del Brummet, head gardener of the Elisabeth C Miller Botanical Garden, will take you on a journey through the building and maintenance of his low water home garden. What techniques help to grow and establish a variety of plants with lower water needs? How do you pick plants for narrow spaces with shifting light throughout the year? Del’s garden features a variety of native plants combined with exotics which work together to create year-round interest while being mindful of ecological practices. From the extremely sunny back patio to the shaded under cedar section there should be something to learn for anyone who attends.
Cost to register: $8.00
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Early Starts, Early Harvests
2025-02-05 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
Early Starts, Early Harvests with Extension Master Gardener Anne Neilson.
It’s still mid-winter but don’t be deterred! There are edibles that you can direct sow or plant as purchased seedlings now; others that you might consider raising in seed trays for transplanting in about 6 weeks. Extension Master Gardener Anne Neilson will lead you through a variety of her favorite veggies to start early in the year. These crops produce a wonderful selection of foods to harvest and enjoy by the end of June which opens up space to plant those warm season veggies. Or…maybe you manage a school garden or are planning an extended summer vacation? Early Starts, Early Harvests provides strategies to get the growing going early and allows you take the summer off!
Cost to register: $8.00
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Growing Roses in Today's World
2025-01-25 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
Speaker: Michele Thomas, Extension Master Gardener
Just in time for spring, this presentation will give participant’s some history of roses, the most popular rose types, and roses best suited for our changing climate. Site selection (including different climates in King County), soil prep, and planting instructions will be discussed. Pruning, spring and fall rose care, and disease and pest management will also be addressed. Get ready for a successful season of roses.
Cost to register: $8.00
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Vegetable Gardening in the PNW
2025-01-22 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
Vegetable Gardening in the PNW with Extension Master Gardener Jim Olson. There are six keys to successfully growing vegetables in our area of the Pacific Northwest, preparing your planting location, timing of seed starting, key items for caring of plants and how to recognize and treat problems on plants during their path to your plate at the peak of flavor. The focus is how to use the six steps to prevent problems, and where that doesn’t work, how to treat them.
Cost to register: $8.00
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Tips for New (and Experienced) Gardeners
2025-01-11 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
Speaker: Bruce Bennet, Extension Master Gardener.
This presentation will provide new gardeners with introductory information that has been revised through WSU and OSU research and by the speaker’s professional practice for the past twenty years. As plants and weather change over the years, so do the growing guidelines and even seasoned gardeners can use a refresher class. Topics include new garden prep, different garden options, typical gardening mistakes, and other pertinent issues.
Cost to register: $8.00
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Garden and Nature Science for Kids with King County Master Gardeners
2024-12-14 11:30 - 12:30, 2024-11-16 11:30 - 12:30, 2024-10-05 11:30 - 12:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
Learn about the science of how things grow with Master Gardener Maggie!
These hour long presentations are being held at the Redmond Library on selected Saturdays from September 2024 to May 2025.
Children ages 7-12 (with an adult) are invited to attend. Each child will receive a kit of program materials and extension activities for science exploration at home.
Registration is not required and there will be materials available for a maximum of 25 children.
No admittance after the first 15 minutes.
(Image by Freepik)
CLASS SCHEDULE

September 14: Apples – America’s Favorite Fruit
October 5: Pumpkins – Fruit or Vegetable?
November 16: Plants – Key to Survival 500 Years Ago
December 14: Roots – Out of Sight, Very Important!
January 25: Gardening for our Fabulous Feathered Friends
February 22: Soil is Not a Dirty Word
March 22: Marvelous Mason Bees
April 19: Seeds are Promises to Sprout
May 17: Wonderful Worms

In partnership with the Master Gardeners Foundation of King County.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Redmond Library.
Reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities is available by request. Email access@kcls.org at least seven days before the event. Automated closed captioning is always available for online events.
Credit: Redmond Library Event Calendar https://kcls.bibliocommons.com/events/66e3372639f0865e52ccffd2

Orchids for Fun
2024-10-26 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
Speaker: Jim Olson, Master Gardener.
Presentation: Did you get an orchid as a gift, or buy one for its beauty? Thinking of buying one? Go ahead, they’re easier to care for than you think. Learn the unique history and the unique plant tissue velamen that gives orchids their very nature. From this understanding, you’ll learn how this influences the basic practices, especially watering and potting media, that will keep your orchids thriving and blooming year after year.
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Choosing the Right Plants
2024-10-19 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
Speaker: Laura Matter, Program Director for Natural Yard Care, Tilth Alliance.
Presentation: When adding trees, shrubs, and other ornamentals to your garden, it’s important to use the “Right Plant-Right Place” decision making process. This workshop will teach you how to get to know your site, create a garden plan, choose appropriate plants, and give them a good start with proper planting and mulching techniques. Includes a PowerPoint presentation plus free printed information for all attendees. Suitable for any time of year, but especially for spring or fall.
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Fall and Winter Wow for Container Gardens
2024-10-12 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
Speaker: Sue Goetz, certified Horticulturist.
Presentation: There is no need to give up on colorful containers when summer annuals like petunias and marigolds have bit the dust. Plant a cool-weather container that will extend the season well into winter. Tips and techniques to stylize and create creative planters using small evergreens, hardy perennials, and cool weather annuals.

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The Savory Subterraneans: Garlic and Onions
2024-10-09 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
The days are noticeably shorter and chillier meaning it’s time to plant next year’s crop of garlic. But don’t forget onions! While often planted in the spring, onions can also be fall planted and allowed to overwinter resulting in an earlier harvest next year. Extension Master Gardeners Lory Armitage and Maria Gerace discuss varieties, planting, harvesting and curing of garlic and onions.
Cost to register: $7.50
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Shrubs that Grow Well in King County
2024-10-05 09:30 - 10:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online via Zoom Platform
Speaker: Cleo Raulerson, Master Gardener.
Presentation: Shrubs are a key part of our gardens—there are many shrubs that can provide color and interest throughout the year with limited maintenance. This talk discusses evergreen and deciduous shrubs that grow well in our Western Washington gardens, grouped by genus. Highlighted will be several specific varieties that showcase the breadth of a genus. Some varieties are tried-and-true, others are more unusual.
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