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UC Davis Arboretum needs you!


Winter or summer, the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden is a beautiful place to volunteer. (Photos: Kathy Morrison)

Recruitment drive seeks volunteers for 2020

Love plants? Want to spend some more time with them while acquiring a world of knowledge?

Then the UC Davis Arboretum has an opportunity for you.

The Arboretum is recruiting garden, land stewardship and plant sale volunteers for 2020. But you better hurry: The application deadline is Friday, Jan. 17.

“At the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, we rely on volunteer support in every area of operations,” according to the recruiters. “As a volunteer, you can learn new skills, meet other people who share your interests, and feel wonderful about supporting our environment. Whatever your skills or interests, the Arboretum and Public Garden welcomes you.

“Volunteers donate more than 15,000 hours of service each year. Depending on their skills, interests, and availability, prospective volunteers can be assigned as members of a team that meets for three hours one morning each week. At this time, most training takes place ‘on the job.’ Sometimes, training sessions are offered to a group of volunteers.

The spring and fall plant sales require volunteers, too.
“The Arboretum and Public Garden also welcomes volunteers who prefer to work on short-term projects,” they added. “We can always use assistance at our renowned plant sales. We schedule volunteer workdays several times a year for planting or garden clean-up projects.”

Got a gardening group or club in search of a fun project? “Many service organizations enjoy coming out for a day of work in the garden,” the recruiters said. “We also work with volunteers for special projects in garden design, computer programming, marketing, photography and other fields.”

Nursery assistants, docents, gardeners, caretakers and sale support staff are just a few of the positions that need volunteers.

Most positions are filled in January. The arboretum adds to its plant sale staff year-round.

Questions? Email
arboretum@ucdavis.edu or Roxanne Loe at rloe@ucdavis.edu .

For more details and application: https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/volunteer .

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Dig In: Garden Checklist

For week of March 24:

In between cloud bursts, try to catch up with early spring chores. 

* Attack weeds now! Get them before they flower and go to seed. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout. Aim for 1 inch below the soil line.

* 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 now in bloom and setting fruit. 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).

* 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.

* Seed and renovate the lawn (if you still have one). Feed cool-season grasses such as bent, blue, rye and fescue with a slow-release fertilizer. Check the irrigation system and perform maintenance. Make sure sprinkler heads are turned toward the lawn, not the sidewalk.

* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and cole family plants, such as cabbage, broccoli, collards and kale.

* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground.

* 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.

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