Murer House hosts 10th annual celebration with show, tours and speakers.
Debbie Arrington among speakers at event this Saturday at Orangevale Library
Les Dames Sacramento hosts special event featuring three local pros
Square-foot gardening makes the most of room in raised beds
UC Davis Arboretum hosts free midweek tour, in search of signs of spring
New! Chopped veggies, peanuts provide plenty of crunch
Chance to dry out after a very soggy two weeks
Elk Grove's destination garden store offers big discounts on pottery, fountains, garden art and plants
Free class offered through City of Roseville program
Here's your chance to help this student-run group connect more people with nature
Succession planting allows for a more consistent flow of home-grown food
Annual census of feathered friends starts Friday
New! Citrus salsa with fresh orange, mandarin, kumquat and lime
More wintry weather on tap; be ready for frost and rain
After heavy rain, more winter weather is on the way to Sacramento, foothills
Arboretum and Public Garden included in this family-friendly event
Sacramento and Placer experts available to answer questions
Small investments, big yields for gardeners with patience
Learn how to grow more -- and save more, too
New! Vegan soup is loaded with vegetables and spices
Sacramento Digs Gardening to your inbox.
Food in My Back Yard Series
March 11: Ways to win the fight against weeds
March 4: Potatoes from the garden
Feb. 25: Plant a fruit tree now -- for later
Feb. 18: How to squeeze more food into less space
Feb. 11: When to plant? Consider staggering your transplants
Feb. 4: Starting in seed starting
Sites We Like
Garden Checklist for week of March 9
Make the most of the sunny days before the rain arrives mid-week; your garden needs some TLC.
* Pull weeds now! Don’t let them get started. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout.
* Start preparing vegetable beds. Spade in compost and other amendments.
* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.
* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to help corral blossom blight.
* Feed citrus trees, which are starting to bloom. To prevent sunburn and borer problems on young trees, paint the exposed portion of the trunk with diluted white latex (water-based) interior paint. Dilute the paint with an equal amount of cold water before application.
* Feed roses with a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in that product; organic fertilizers tend to have lower numbers, such as 4-4-4).
* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch thick under the tree. This serves as both fertilizer and mulch, retaining moisture while cutting down on weeds.
* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.
* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and cole family plants, such as cauliflower, broccoli, collards and kale.
* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground.
* Before the mercury starts inching upward, this is your last chance to plant such annuals as pansies, violas and primroses.
* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.
* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.
* Soil pH is important for blueberries to produce a crop. Now is the time to test the soil around the plants using a soil test or soil meter. The soil should be in the 4.5 to 5.5 range; most Sacramento soil is in the 7 range. The sulfur package will list the amount to apply, depending on what the test shows.