'Summer Strong' contest seeks beautiful landscapes that can take the heat
Discover six private gardens with lots of personality
Get advice from local experts; see how they tackle spring tasks
NEW Strawberries shine, raspberries add color to versatile sauce
April showers will give way to plenty of sunshine
Perennial Plant Club shifts second day of event to Sunday; other Saturday events still planned
Saturday event designed for gardeners of all ages
Find member-grown perennials, natives and more; event also includes tours, food, tool sharpening, garden art
Popular tour led by Warren Roberts highlights spring flowers in the public gardens
Sacramento club's annual event includes beginner workshop, guest artist demonstrations
NEW Ham and baby potato casserole with glazed carrots
Grab your sun hat; heat is on its way
Events at famous feng shui oasis raise funds to help children at Shriners Hospital.
Burbank High, Elk Grove Garden Club events Saturday
SacValley CNPS Nursery & Gardens hosts sale, needs used containers for future sales
Event features succulents, natives and water-wise perennials; members get in early
Capital City African Violet Society hosts annual event
NEW Chocolate glaze especially appropriate for a holiday dessert
April starts with a sunny break before more showers
Master rosarian shares tips with Farmer Fred on spring rose care basics, propagation
Sacramento Digs Gardening to your inbox.
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Garden Checklist for week of July 7
Take care of garden chores early in the morning, concentrating on watering. We’re still in survival mode until this heat wave breaks.
* Keep your vegetable garden watered, mulched and weeded. Water before 8 a.m. to conserve moisture.
* Prevent sunburn; provide temporary shade for tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, melons, squash and other crops with “sensitive” skin.
* Hold off on feeding plants until temperatures cool back down to “normal” range. That means daytime highs in the low to mid 90s.
* Don’t let tomatoes wilt or dry out completely. Give tomatoes a deep watering two to three times a week. Harvest vegetables promptly to encourage plants to produce more.
* Squash especially tends to grow rapidly in hot weather. Keep an eye on zucchini.
* Some weeds thrive in hot weather. Whack them before they go to seed.
* Pinch back chrysanthemums for bushy plants and more flowers in September.
* Harvest tomatoes, squash, peppers and eggplant. Prompt picking will help keep plants producing.
* Remove spent flowers from roses, daylilies and other bloomers as they finish flowering.
* Pinch off blooms from basil so the plant will grow more leaves.
* Cut back lavender after flowering to promote a second bloom.
* One good thing about hot days: Most lawns stop growing when temperatures top 95 degrees. Keep mower blades set on high.
* Once the weather cools down a little, it’s not too late to add a splash of color. Plant petunias, snapdragons, zinnias and marigolds.
* After the heat wave, plant corn, pumpkins, radishes, winter squash and sunflowers. Make sure the seeds stay hydrated.
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