We benefit from the natural world -- and the community of gardeners
Last winter's moisture helped this holiday season's crop of firs and cedars
GoFundMe drive supports treatment for longtime nursery manager Taylor Lewis
Small Business Saturday and Holiday Open House coming soon
Recipe: Lime, cilantro and chilis flavor this easy dip
Clear and cool conditions expected after Saturday's soaking
Open house Nov. 25 kicks off holiday shopping season
Two Placer County workshops focus on vermicomposting
Sacramento Tree Foundation offers hands-on workshop
Popular event features tons of fresh citrus and more
Chrysanthemum celebration includes tribute to club president
Recipe: Persimmon and/or apple crisp adjusts to fruit on hand
‘Atmospheric river’ could soak Sacramento with 1.5 inches of rain
How to prevent the spread of this yucky fungal disease
Sacramento video program an award winner
Sacramento fall leaf season looks spectacular; enjoy it while you can
Park Winters offers 'Thanksgiving Table Decor' workshop
Sacramento Center for Textile Arts hosts annual showcase featuring work by local craftspeople and artists.
Recipe: Different mix-ins change the personality of the scone
Fall weather (including some rain) arrives as we 'fall back' to standard time; remember to reset your clocks
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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 17
Expect the coming storms to knock down an enormous amount of leaves. Grab a rake and get to work!
* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.
* Use some of those nice fall leaves as mulch around shrubs and trees or in the vegetable garden.
* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.
* 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.
* 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 and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, 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.