Capital City club hosts huge houseplant event Saturday
This beauty is identified as a Rob's Boolaroo variety of
African violet, a winner at a previous Capital City show.
(Photos: Debbie Arrington)
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It’s violet time (again) in Sacramento. On Saturday, April 2, the Capital City African Violet Society will host its annual spring sale at Shepard Garden and Arts Center in McKinley Park.
Instead of a judged show, the club will host a display of members’ prized African violets at their peak of bloom. That way patrons can see some of the beautiful varieties also offered in the sale.
The club’s major fundraiser, the sale features hundreds of plants, ready to go to new homes. Many of these are unusual varieties that aren't available in local nurseries.
In addition, the club offers supplies for growing African violets and other flowering houseplants. Also, get advice on repotting African violets and prompting them to bloom.
Sale hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday or when all plants are sold. Admission and parking are free.
Shepard Center is located at 3330 McKinley Blvd., Sacramento.
The Shepard Center will be filled with African violets again on
April 2.
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Garden Checklist for week of April 21
This week there’s plenty to keep gardeners busy. With no rain in the immediate forecast, remember to irrigate any new transplants.
* Weed, weed, weed! Get them before they flower and go to seed.
* 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 is really hungry. Feed 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.