Find unusual plants, garden wares while supporting local vendors and clubs
Stunning golden bamboo is one of the plants sold by Mad Man Bamboo Nursery of Rocklin, which is one of the specialty plant vendors Saturday at the Gardener's Market on Saturday. Courtesy Mad Man Bamboo
Spring is in the air (if not actually here), which means the gardening bug is biting hard.
One of the best places to scratch that itch: The Shepard Garden and Arts Center.
Three weekends in March, the center – which is home to about two dozen local garden clubs – hosts major plant and garden sales (including one combined show and sale). That’s followed by three more flower shows and/or sales in April. Admission to every one of these events is free.
That spring spree starts in earnest Saturday, March 9, with the Sacramento Perennial Plant Club’s Gardener’s Market. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the center will be packed with plants from small specialty nurseries plus unique garden wares from local sellers.
Crazy about bamboo? Mad Man Bamboo Nursery of Rocklin is one of those specialty nurseries that will be selling plants Saturday. Owner Sean Bigley says he usually participates in only two public sales a year, and this is one of them. He grows unusual and colorful bamboos, most of them clumping varieties and well behaved. (They’re a must for Asian-themed gardens.)
Other popular plant vendors at Saturday’s sale include Morningsun Herb Farm (which offers a lot more than herbs), Geraniaceae (the rare geraniums specialist), Golden Pond Water Plants (water lilies, anyone?), Martin Palomar Plants and Art (succulents as living art) and The OG-Cacti & Succulents (like their name says).
Here’s a snapshot of other upcoming Shepard Center events:
* Shepard Spring Sale, March 16-17: All clubs that call Shepard home plus local vendors take part in this two-day sale. Find plants, jewelry, crafts, art, flowers, books and more. Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. March 16, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. March 17.
* Sacramento Valley Cymbidium Show and Sale, March 23: This annual show and sale features gorgeous outdoor orchids in full bloom – plus plenty to take home. Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
* Capital City African Violet Society sale and display, April 6: See beautiful African violets in a display of members’ plants. Learn about violet care from members. Then, shop for plants for your indoor garden. Hundreds will be available, but they sell out early! Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
* 64th annual Bonsai Show and Sale, April 13-14: Presented by the American Bonsai Association, Sacramento, this event showcases amazing “little trees in pots” plus everything you need to grow your own. Bonsai master Tyler Sherrod will give demonstrations each day. Beginner workshops also are available. Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. both days.
* 76th annual Sacramento Rose Show, April 27: Hosted by the Sacramento Rose Society, this huge flower show fills Shepard Center with blooms at their height of beauty. See (and smell) the roses and admire the creative rose arrangements. Member-grown cut roses are offered for sale. Hours: 1-4:30 p.m.
Shepard Center is located at 3330 McKinley Blvd., Sacramento, in McKinley Park.
More details: https://www.sgaac.org/.
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Flowers in My Back Yard Series
April 21: Celebrate roses, America's favorite flower
April 14: Small flowers with outsized impact
April 7: Calendulas do double duty
April 3: Make Easter lilies last for years to come
March 31: In praise of a pollinator magnet (small-leaf salvias)
March 24: Azaleas brighten shady spots
March 17: The perfect flower for beginners? Try zonal geraniums
March 10: Keep camellias happy for years to come
March 3: Fruit tree blossoms are a fleeting joy
Feb. 27: Are your roses looking rusty?
Feb. 24: Treasure spring daffodils now and for years to come
Feb. 17: How and why to grow wildflowers
Feb. 10: Let's talk Valentine's Day roses
Feb. 3: Why grow flowers?
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Garden checklist for week of April 19
After this midweek storm, start getting serious about spring gardening. Flowers are blooming about three weeks ahead of schedule. That includes weeds!
* Get ready to swing into action in the vegetable garden – if you haven’t already. As nights warm up over 50 degrees, set out tomato, pepper and eggplant transplants.
* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, radishes and squash; wait on pumpkins until May. 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. Late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.
* Transplant lettuce and cabbage seedlings.
* 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? Give citrus trees a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants. If leaves look yellow, your tree may need an iron boost -- apply some chelated iron fertilizer.
* 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 nutrition. Give shrubs and trees a slow-release fertilizer. Mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost, which helps the soil, but keep it a few inches away from trunks and stems.
* 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.
Contact Us
Send us a gardening question, a post suggestion or information about an upcoming event. sacdigsgardening@gmail.com
Food in My Back Yard (FIMBY) Series
Lessons learned during a year of edible gardening
WINTER
Is edible gardening possible indoors?
Hints for choosing tomato seeds
Why winter is the perfect time to plant fruit trees
When to plant? Consider staggering your transplants
How to squeeze more food into less space
Plant a fruit tree now -- for later
Win the weed war by tackling them in winter
Tips for planting bare-root trees, shrubs and vegetables
Time to give vegetable seedlings some more space
Ways to win the fight against weeds
FALL
Dec. 16: Add asparagus to your edible garden
Dec. 9: Soggy soil and what to do about it
Dec. 2: Plant artichokes now; enjoy for years to come
Nov. 25: It's late November, and your peach tree needs spraying
Nov. 18: What to do with all those fallen leaves?
Nov. 11: Prepare now for colder weather in the edible garden
Nov. 4: Plant a pea patch for you and your garden
Oct. 27: As citrus season begins, advice for backyard growers
Oct. 20: Change is in the autumn air
Oct. 13: We don't talk (enough) about beets
Oct. 6: Fava beans do double duty
Sept. 30: Seeds or transplants for cool-season veggies?
Sept. 23: How to prolong the fall tomato harvest
SUMMER
Sept. 16: Time to shut it down?
Sept. 9: How to get the most out of your pumpkin patch
Sept. 2: Summer-to-fall transition time for evaluation, planning
Aug. 26: To pick or not to pick those tomatoes?
Aug. 19: Put worms to work for you
Aug. 12: Grow food while saving water
Aug. 5: Enhance your food with edible flowers
July 29: Why won't my tomatoes turn red?
July 22: A squash plant has mosaic virus, and it's not pretty
July 15: Does this plant need water?
July 8: Tear out that sad plant or baby it? Midsummer decisions
July 1: How to grow summer salad greens
June 24: Weird stuff that's perfectly normal
SPRING
June 17: Help pollinators help your garden
June 10: Battling early-season tomato pests
June 3: Make your own compost
May 27: Where are the bees when you need them?
May 20: How to help tomatoes thrive on hot days
May 13: Your plants can tell you more than any calendar can
May 6: Maintain soil moisture with mulch for garden success
April 29: What's (already) wrong with my tomato plants?
April 22: Should you stock up on fertilizer? (Yes!)
April 15: Grow culinary herbs in containers
April 8: When to plant summer vegetables
April 1: Don't be fooled by these garden myths
March 25: Fertilizer tips: How to 'feed' your vegetables for healthy growth
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