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Get great advice for container gardening in free workshop

Placer County master gardeners offer class in person and via Zoom


Pot of orange and purple flowers
Container plants can add bright color
where you need it. Learn about container
gardening in person or online this Saturday.
(Photo: Kathy Morrison)

Container gardening can turn any outdoor (or indoor) space into garden space.

Learn how to successfully garden in pots during a free workshop offered both in person and via Zoom.

Hosted by the UCCE Master Gardeners of Placer County, “Container Gardening” will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 2, at the Loomis Library, 6050 Library Drive, Loomis. Or check in on Zoom; pre-register here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register .

“Container gardening is a great solution if you don’t have a suitable garden space,” say the master gardeners. “This workshop will cover choosing the right container, plant selection tips, transplanting and more. Learn how to be successful growing ornamental plants, as well as fruit and vegetables.”

The hand-outs for this workshop – including tips, getting started and trouble shooting – are already available online here: https://pcmg.ucanr.org/?calitem=527826&g=123640 ,

Among the excellent tips:

• Anything that can hold soil and has at least one drainage hole (two to three holes are better) can serve as a planter. Often “found” unconventional items make excellent pots.
• When using pots that have contained other plants, you may want to use a 10% bleach solution to disinfect your container and tools. This solution is active for 20 minutes; it's best not to store the solution.
• Large containers retain more moisture than small ones. This is especially true with hanging baskets.
• Grouping containers together is an attractive way to display potted plants.
• Use soil-less mix for containers. Commonly known as potting soil, there is no soil in this mix.

That’s just a slice of the advice that will be presented Saturday.

Details and upcoming workshops: https://pcmg.ucanr.org/ .

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Garden Checklist for week of April 14

It's still not warm enough to transplant tomatoes directly in the ground, but we’re getting there.

* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.

* Smell orange blossoms? Feed citrus trees with a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants.

* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.

* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.

* Spring brings a flush of rapid growth, and that means your garden needs nutrients. Fertilize shrubs and trees with a slow-release fertilizer. Or mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost.

* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.

* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.

* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.

* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.

* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, radishes and squash.

* Plant onion sets.

* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias.

* Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.

* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom.

* Mid to late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Transplant lettuce seedlings. Choose varieties that mature quickly such as loose leaf.

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