The Secret Garden celebrates with two weekends of family fun
Green Acres hosts veggie talks plus a houseplant pot-up event
Delta society hosts annual show and sale of African violets, gesneriads and rare bloomers
New! Very Berry Syrup mixes strawberries, blueberries, blackberries -- or whatever you have
This week could be the perfect time to plant for fall, winter
Triple-digit heat again challenges tomatoes, squash
Yolo County master gardeners' monthly talk looks to fall
More than 1,000 plants in rare and unusual species will be offered
How one Sacramento family turned their front lawn into much more
Get growing with more pleasure and fun
New! Lemon verbena shortbread, lavender lemonade from the Herb Team
After ‘cool’ Labor Day, triple-digit heat returns to Sacramento
Master gardener uses rebates to create her dream outdoor space
Training program starts in winter; deadline to apply is Oct. 10
El Dorado County master gardeners present free workshop
Elk Grove nursery offers big discounts on succulents, cacti, pottery and fountains
How did this Sacramento family spend their summer? Inspiring others on local billboards
New! Shopska salad makes most of ripe tomatoes, crunchy cucumber
After unusual storm system, summer warmth returns
Green Acres hosts special event at its Auburn location
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.