How to renew vigor of bearded iris, a perfect perennial for Sacramento
Still plenty of time for nonprofits and schools to apply
Tri-County Home & Garden Show offers 15 seminars
Hands-on workshop shows what to do with cuttings, divisions and seeds
Florists compete in design competition; clubs and master gardeners offer expert advice
Recipe: Onions, garlic add to this summer side dish
More triple-digit heat coming soon; plan accordingly
Stink bugs and leaf-footed bugs like August weather and ripening fruit
Using basil, growing beets to be topics of Yolo master gardeners' workshop
Master gardeners offer two free workshops on fall and winter vegetables
The Secret Garden hosts hands-on 'Aromatic Escapes' workshop
Elk Grove store offers curated collection, advice
Recipe: Easy fig compote with orange and vanilla
Our yo-yo weather continues; watch out for signs of plant stress
Popular podcast host shares keynote speaker duties at Harvest Day
'Habitat Gardening' is the theme for the latest publication
Sunflowers can be planted in late summer for autumn blooms
Select local vendors, clubs and organizations bring wide range of specialties
Weather roller-coaster continues; triple-digit temperatures return this weekend
Recipe: Chunky or smooth, it's the fresh flavor of summer
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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.