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Sat, Jul 13, 2024

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of July 14

After record-setting heat, Sacramento gardeners may be getting a break

Fri, Jul 12, 2024

How to save a half-dead plant

Tips to rescue vegetables, shrubs, container plants and more after too much sun, heat

Thu, Jul 11, 2024

Celebrate gardening at Harvest Day on Aug. 3

Free event includes speakers, demonstrations, vendors

Wed, Jul 10, 2024

No zucchini? Grab a paintbrush

How to give bees a hand and pollinate squash, cucumber, melon and pumpkin flowers

Tue, Jul 09, 2024

Learn how to make compost at free workshop

Placer County master gardeners also host monthly Open Garden at Loomis Library.

Mon, Jul 08, 2024

California State Fair returns Friday with plenty of farm-inspired fun

Visit master gardeners at the State Fair Farm, pet a live sturgeon.

Sun, Jul 07, 2024

Fresh summer veggies, marinated and grilled

New! Pick your garden favorites for a quick side dish

Sat, Jul 06, 2024

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of July 7

Remember to water; Sacramento could be in midst of record heat wave

Fri, Jul 05, 2024

How to help honey bees survive in this heat

Water trays benefit these beneficial insects in more ways than one

Thu, Jul 04, 2024

Heat wave effects: You know you're a gardener when ...

Early watering and extra worries define these hot days

Wed, Jul 03, 2024

Cool workshops coming to The Secret Garden

Sign up now to learn about mosaic, terrariums, succulents and more

Tue, Jul 02, 2024

Hungry grasshoppers invade Roseville neighborhoods -- what to do

Lincoln and Rancho Cordova also affected, and that's just the start

Mon, Jul 01, 2024

What red-hot July means for our gardens

Sacramento could hit 111 degrees this week; remember to water

Sun, Jun 30, 2024

Pop apricots on the grill for this flavorful summer salad

New! Grilled apricot and feta salad with balsamic vinaigrette

Sat, Jun 29, 2024

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of June 30

July starts red hot; be prepared for record heat, high fire danger

Fri, Jun 28, 2024

Be prepared: Triple-digit heat could torch July Fourth

Weather service declares 'Excessive Heat Watch' for Sacramento region

Thu, Jun 27, 2024

In appreciation of the crape myrtle

The ubiquitous tree gives summer landscapes some pop

Wed, Jun 26, 2024

Ditch your lawn the easy way: Sheet mulching

How to replace turf, prepare soil for future planting

Tue, Jun 25, 2024

Exotic Plants offers 'Glass Gardens' workshop

Learn how to create a bioactive terrarium to take home

Mon, Jun 24, 2024

Learn how to grow vegetables in raised beds, containers

El Dorado County master gardeners offer free workshop with strategies for bountiful success

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Taste Fall! E-cookbook

Muffins and pumpkin

Find our fall recipes here!

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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.

Taste Spring! E-cookbook

Strawberries

Find our spring recipes here!

Taste Summer! E-cookbook

square-tomatoes-plate.jpg

Find our summer recipes here!

Taste Winter! E-cookbook

Lemon coconut pancakes

Find our winter recipes here!