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Wed, Sep 11, 2024

Butterflies are back -- and so is Butterfly Fest

The Secret Garden celebrates with two weekends of family fun

Tue, Sep 10, 2024

Find out how to start a fall vegetable garden

Green Acres hosts veggie talks plus a houseplant pot-up event

Mon, Sep 09, 2024

Add some flowering houseplants to your indoor collection

Delta society hosts annual show and sale of African violets, gesneriads and rare bloomers

Sun, Sep 08, 2024

This fruity syrup makes most of late-season harvest

New! Very Berry Syrup mixes strawberries, blueberries, blackberries -- or whatever you have

Sat, Sep 07, 2024

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Sept. 8

This week could be the perfect time to plant for fall, winter

Fri, Sep 06, 2024

One last gasp for summer vegetables

Triple-digit heat again challenges tomatoes, squash

Wed, Sep 04, 2024

Annual Sacramento begonia show, sale returns to Shepard Center

More than 1,000 plants in rare and unusual species will be offered

Tue, Sep 03, 2024

Stop mowing – and create a wildlife-friendly sanctuary

How one Sacramento family turned their front lawn into much more

Mon, Sep 02, 2024

How to take the labor out of gardening

Get growing with more pleasure and fun

Sun, Sep 01, 2024

Cookies and lemonade made special with herbs

New! Lemon verbena shortbread, lavender lemonade from the Herb Team

Sat, Aug 31, 2024

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Sept. 1

After ‘cool’ Labor Day, triple-digit heat returns to Sacramento

Fri, Aug 30, 2024

Easy-care landscape offers instant escape

Master gardener uses rebates to create her dream outdoor space

Thu, Aug 29, 2024

Applications for Sacramento master gardener class of 2025 open Sept. 10

Training program starts in winter; deadline to apply is Oct. 10

Wed, Aug 28, 2024

Learn about native plants for small spaces

El Dorado County master gardeners present free workshop

Tue, Aug 27, 2024

The Secret Garden hosts annual Labor Day weekend sale

Elk Grove nursery offers big discounts on succulents, cacti, pottery and fountains

Mon, Aug 26, 2024

This family gardens – and grows – together

How did this Sacramento family spend their summer? Inspiring others on local billboards

Sun, Aug 25, 2024

A treasured salad from Bulgaria with love

New! Shopska salad makes most of ripe tomatoes, crunchy cucumber

Sat, Aug 24, 2024

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Aug. 25

After unusual storm system, summer warmth returns

Fri, Aug 23, 2024

Taste tomatoes with superstar hybridizer Brad Gates

Green Acres hosts special event at its Auburn location

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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!