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Grow a gorgeous garden and save water, too

Master gardeners present free online workshop

Sacramento Digs Gardening logo
Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED JUN 25, 2021
Yellow butterfly
A western tiger swallowtail enjoys the ambiance of a trailing lantana. Low-water gardens can be beautiful. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)

How do you balance garden beauty with fire safety? How do you support bees and butterflies while saving water? (And what can survive our summer heat while still looking good?)

As our climate gets drier, those gardening challenges become harder, especially in communities with limited water. Who knows what to plant to fulfill all these needs?

Master gardeners do! See their suggestions and learn how to master this gardening dilemma during a special free workshop. It's open to anyone with an internet connection.

Set for 9 a.m. Saturday, June 26, “Gorgeous Low-Water Gardening” features the expertise of foothill master gardeners, who have the challenge of providing defensible space for wildfire protection.

Presented by the UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Amador County in cooperation with the UCCE Master Gardeners of El Dorado County, this 90-minute online class will explore options and challenges of low-water gardening.

“So, you want a beautiful garden up here in the Sierra Foothills,” say the organizers. “You want to attract butterflies and bees, but you also want to be fire-safe and, of course, drought tolerant due to our long, hot summers and increasing drought periods.”

Like the drought period we appear to be in again.

“Well, things just got pretty tricky!!” they added. “You need advice and direction from the experts! Join our Master Gardeners who will share tips and tricks, review various plant choices and discuss water management for your beautiful creation.”

Registration is free, but required. Participants can sign up anytime before and during the session. You will receive the link to the session in the registration confirmation email. To register: https://bit.ly/3xWnzyi

More details: https://ucanr.edu/sites/Amador_County_MGs/

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GENERAL GARDENING

An article about gardening.

Keywords:
UCCE master gardeners fire-wise landscaping gardening Sacramento drought low-water plants El Dorado County pollinators Amador County free workshop perennials

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Sites We Like

  1.  UCCE Master Gardeners of Sacramento County
  2. Farmer Fred's GardenBasics.net
  3. UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden
  4. Shepard Garden and Arts Center
  5. Placer County Master Gardeners
  6. El Dorado County Master Gardeners
  7. Yolo County Master Gardeners

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.

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