Warmer days are enticing for tomato planting
April puts spotlight on America's growing pastime
Weekend events range from Natomas to Orangevale to Placerville
Famous feng shui oasis in Davis hosts tour on Sunday
Find our recipes for seasonal fruit and vegetables all in one place
'In the Garden' is theme for annual show and sale at Shepard Center
Delicious seasonal recipes from your garden.
NEW Celery adds crunch; mint lends an herbal note
Spring-like days finally arrive (but still too cold for happy tomatoes)
As Sacramento weather finally feels like spring, expect rapid changes in your garden.
Open Garden Day this month is on a midweek morning
Get advice from master gardeners; plant sales coming soon
Two historic clubs host Sacramento events devoted to ancient tradition
After canceling March event, Arboretum nursery offers 'split sale' to Friends and public
NEW Purple flannel hash patties with roasted beets
No fooling: Chilly nights forecast, with possible frost
Put your roses on a regular diet with monthly feeding (plus snacks)
Take care of the plants (and soil) until the weather cooperates
Master gardeners host Saturday sales in Woodland – plus an online garden chat
Capital City group hosts annual event including display of prized plants
Sacramento Digs Gardening to your inbox.
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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 24
In between rainy episodes this week:
* Keep your gutters and storm drains cleared. Watch out for leaning trees or weakened branches; if you spot trouble, call an arborist.
* Remember to turn off the sprinklers or other irrigation. Be careful walking on or working with wet soil; it can compact easily.
* On rainy days, do some indoor gardening. Tend to houseplants. Sort seed packets. Start seed indoors for cool-season veggies and flowers.
* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.
* Rake and compost leaves, but leave at least some healthy leaves in planting beds for nesting insects and foraging birds. But dispose of any diseased plant material. For eample, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.
* If you decide to use a living Christmas tree this year, keep it outside in a sunny location until Christmas week. This reduces stress on the young tree.
* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.
* After they bloom, chrysanthemums should be trimmed to 6 to 8 inches above the ground. If in pots, keep the mums in their containers until next spring. Then they can be planted in the ground, if desired, or repotted.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.
* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.
* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers such as California poppies and plant spring bloomers such as as sweet peas, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.
* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Plant garlic and onions.