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Keep your trees healthy: Learn correct pruning


Here's an example of how not to prune a tree: The street side of this fruitless mulberry
has been hacked
but the residence side still has all its canopy. This was done in July, at the
height of summer,
rather than during winter dormancy. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)
Free workshops on the winter calendar

Is there anything in horticulture sadder than a badly pruned tree? Poor pruning practices weaken trees and make them dangerous to people and structures.

Learn proper techniques for pruning landscape trees this Saturday, Jan. 11, from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Pocket Greenhaven Library, 7335 Gloria Drive, Sacramento.

This free workshop will be presented by the UCCE master gardeners of Sacramento County. It's an indoor class that will cover tools and techniques as well as basic cuts. The master gardeners also will discuss the best time of year to prune to ensure your trees heal properly.

For more information on master gardener workshops and events, go to
sacmg.ucanr.edu .

The Sacramento Tree Foundation, naturally, has a wealth of information on pruning advice at its website, sactree.com .

The foundations's next available pruning workshop is Saturday, Feb. 1, 8:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Garden Valley Elementary School, 3601 Larchwood Drive, Sacramento. It includes an indoor classroom portion and outdoor field training to practice pruning in small groups on young trees.

There is no charge for the workshop, but anyone interested is asked to sign up ahead of time. See their page here to do so.

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Garden Checklist for week of Feb. 2

During this stormy week, let the rain soak in while making plans for all the things you’re going to plant soon:

* During rainy weather, turn off the sprinklers. After a good soaking from winter storms, lawns can go at least a week without sprinklers, according to irrigation experts. For an average California home, that week off from watering can save 800 gallons.

* February serves as a wake-up call to gardeners. This month, you can transplant or direct-seed several flowers, including snapdragon, candytuft, lilies, astilbe, larkspur, Shasta and painted daisies, stocks, bleeding heart and coral bells.

* In the vegetable garden, plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers, and strawberry and rhubarb roots.

* Transplant cabbage and its close cousins – broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts – as well as lettuce (both loose leaf and head).

* Indoors, start peppers, tomatoes and eggplant from seed.

* Plant artichokes, asparagus and horseradish from root divisions.

* Plant potatoes from tubers and onions from sets (small bulbs). The onions will sprout quickly and can be used as green onions in March.

* From seed, plant beets, chard, lettuce, mustard, peas, radishes and turnips.

* Annuals are showing up in nurseries, but wait until the weather warms up a bit before planting. Instead, set out flowering perennials such as columbine and delphinium.

* Plant summer-flowering bulbs including cannas, calla lilies and gladiolus.

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