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Pruning, pruning, pruning at Horticulture Center workshop


Pruning grapevines can be intimidating, but the master gardeners are ready to offer guidance. This is part of the vineyard at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center. (Photos: Kathy Morrison)

Master gardeners offer tips for trees, grapevines, roses

Unsure how to proceed with pruning the pear tree? Or the grapevine? Or those rose bushes?

The Sacramento County master gardeners are ready to rescue the reluctant pruner. From 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 18, they will present free consecutive pruning workshops at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center:

-- 9:15 to 10 a.m., "Pruning Dormant and Overgrown Fruit Trees," in the orchard area.

-- 10:15 to 11 a.m., "Pruning Grapes," in the vineyard. Cane and spur pruning as well as double pruning will be demonstrated.

-- 11:15 a.m. to noon, "Pruning Roses," along the fence between the vineyard and the WEL gardens.

Master gardeners also will be working in other areas of the Horticulture Center during the morning, ready to answer questions.

Bring orchard questions to the Horticulture Center on Saturday.
In the herb garden, the focus will be on planning. The vegetable garden experts will be ready to talk cool-season crops. In the WEL (Water-Efficient Landscape), the master gardeners will have tool tips. Pruning tips for blueberries and cane berries will be available in the berry area. Orchard crew members will have information on citrus harvesting and frost protection, as well as cutting scions for grafting. The compost experts will show how to build and turn the compost pile.

The Ask the Master Gardeners table will be staffed, and the UCCE Master Food Preservers also will have an information table. And if you meant to purchase a 2020 Gardening Guide and Calendar but never got around to it, you still can do so during the event; price is $10.

The Fair Oaks Horticulture Center is at 11549 Fair Oaks Blvd., south of the Fair Oaks Library off Madison Boulevard, Fair Oaks.

For more information on the UCCE Master Gardeners or the Horticulture Center, visit
sacmg.ucanr.edu


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Garden Checklist for week of April 20

Before possible showers at the end of the week, take advantage of all this nice sunshine – and get to work!

* Set out tomato, pepper and eggplant transplants.

* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, radishes and squash.

* Plant onion sets.

* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias.

* Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.

* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom.

* Plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Transplant lettuce and cabbage seedlings.

* Smell orange blossoms? Feed citrus trees with a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants.

* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.

* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.

* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.

* Spring brings a flush of rapid growth, and that means your garden is really hungry. Give shrubs and trees a dose of a slow-release fertilizer. Or mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost.

* Start thinning fruit that's formed on apple and stone fruit trees -- you'll get larger fruit at harvest (and avoid limb breakage) if some is thinned now. The UC recommendation is to thin fruit when it is about 3/4 of an inch in diameter. Peaches and nectarines should be thinned to about 6 inches apart; smaller fruit such as plums and pluots can be about 4 inches apart. Apricots can be left at 3 inches apart. Apples and pears should be thinned to one fruit per cluster of flowers, 6 to 8 inches apart.

* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.

* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.

* Weed, weed, weed! Don’t let unwanted plants go to seed.

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