05/14/2026
No yard? No problem. Across California, UC Master Gardener volunteers are finding creative ways to bring gardening to everyone, including people in apartments, on patios, and in small spaces where traditional gardening isn't an option.
In Orange County, volunteers developed a hands-on hydroponics program that teaches residents how to grow fresh vegetables without soil, using simple, low-cost materials most people already have at home. It's the kind of innovative, community-focused education that UC Master Gardeners deliver in counties across the state every day.
Today is UC ANR Giving Day. Your gift helps volunteers like these reach more Californians with research-based gardening education, no matter where they live or how much space they have.
Give today at https://give.ucanr.edu/pages/uc-master-gardener-program. Every gift counts.
Video credit: Caroline Champlin
Video description: Sally Richards and Alvin Lam, UC Master Gardeners of Orange County, demonstrate hydroponic gardening at an outdoor community garden. Sally, wearing glasses and a white shirt, rolls a bucket of leafy greens along a garden path while a nearby table displays a hydroponic setup. She and Alvin, in a navy polo shirt, introduce themselves and explain how they combined their skills in indoor growing and hydroponics. Standing beside a large garden planter, they share their goal of making hydroponic gardening simple and affordable for people without access to soil. A close-up time-lapse shows roots developing in water, alongside views of a tabletop system with young plants. A box of freshly harvested greens highlights their results. The video ends with both standing by a table of vegetables, encouraging others to try gardening and share their passion.
