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Memberships give gardeners benefits all year long



A plant sale at the UC Davis Arboretum's Teaching Nursery is something to see. Members get 10 percent off prices, plus other benefits. (Photos: Kathy Morrison)
Help the UCD Arboretum or California native plants with these gifts



All those "time's running out" and "last-minute gift idea" promotions do nothing but provoke anxiety, as far as I'm concerned.

So there's plenty of time for these two gift ideas, if you haven't thought of them already. They're great for a gardener you know, and for yourself. They come with yearlong benefits, and they help two terrific institutions that work hard to promote smart and beneficial horticulture.

The first is our area treasure, the 100-plus-acre Arboretum and Public Garden at the University of California, Davis, along with its 1-acre Teaching Nursery.  The nursery's spring and fall plant sales are a must-attend for gardeners interested in climate-appropriate plants. There will be four plant sales this spring, and the first, on March 14, starts with two hours of members-only shopping. And members get 10 percent off any plant they buy at any of the sales. (The other sales will be April 4, April 26, and May 9.)

Joining the Friends at even the basic individual level ($48) brings other benefits, too:

-- A special gift at the March 14 Member Appreciation Sale.
-- Thank you gift for new members.
-- Two days of complimentary parking at UCD (that's worth $18 right there).
-- Free admission and discounts at more than 280 botanical gardens, including 33 around California.
-- 10 percent discounts at Davis-area retail gardens: Davis Ace Hardware, Redwood Barn Nursery in Davis, Lemuria Nursery in Dixon and Silverado Building Materials & Nursery in Sacramento.
-- Member newsletter with seasonal gardening advice.

Benefits increase for Family ($72) memberships. At support levels of $120 (Manzanita Circle) and up, discounts and VIP events add up.

Check out all the membership
details here .

By the way, the Arboretum is recruiting now for its 2020 volunteer corps. These folks work with the Arboretum staff to keep the gardens looking good. The deadline for applications is Jan. 17.

My second suggestion for a gift membership is the California Native Plant Society . Membership levels start at $50. This nonprofit organization does a lot of heavy lifting in the state to promote and protect California native plants and native habitat. Their botanical experts are top-notch, and their advocacy crew at the state Capitol is savvy and effective. I wrote for the membership magazine, Flora, for two years and was very impressed with the dedication of the staff.

Elderberry Farm twice a year sells native plants raised by Sacramento Valley
Chapter CNPS members.
The Sacramento Valley Chapter is one of 35 in the state, and is one of the most active. Elderberry Farm is the chapter's native plant nursery, on the Soil Born Farm property in Rancho Cordova, and if you haven't checked out the twice-yearly plant sales there, you've really missed out. Other busy chapters in the region are El Dorado and Solano County's Willis Linn Jepson Chapter .

Most chapters have monthly meetings; the next meeting for  Sacramento Valley is 7 p.m. Jan. 8 at the Shepard Garden and Arts Center in McKinley Park, Sacramento. It will feature a talk by CNPS' own executive director, Dan Gluesenkamp.

CNPS and its chapters organize plant hikes, restoration projects, rare-plant treasure hunts and many other activities. Members receive Flora magazine four times a year and the research-focused Fremontia twice a year.

I do want to mention that the Sacramento region has many plant-specific garden clubs and organizations -- too many to list here -- that also would welcome a new member, from a gift or otherwise.

Happy giving for happy gardening in 2020!







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Garden checklist for week of April 19

After this midweek storm, start getting serious about spring gardening. Flowers are blooming about three weeks ahead of schedule. That includes weeds!

* Get ready to swing into action in the vegetable garden – if you haven’t already. As nights warm up over 50 degrees, set out tomato, pepper and eggplant transplants.

* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons,  radishes and squash; wait on pumpkins until May. 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. Late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Transplant lettuce and cabbage seedlings.

* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.

* Smell orange blossoms? Give citrus trees a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants. If leaves look yellow, your tree may need an iron boost -- apply some chelated iron fertilizer.

* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.

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

* Spring brings a flush of rapid growth, and that means your garden needs nutrition. Give shrubs and trees a slow-release fertilizer. Mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost, which helps the soil, but keep it a few inches away from trunks and stems.

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

* 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.

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

* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.

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Food in My Back Yard (FIMBY) Series

Lessons learned during a year of edible gardening

WINTER

Is edible gardening possible indoors?

Hints for choosing tomato seeds

Starting in seed starting

Why winter is the perfect time to plant fruit trees

When to plant? Consider staggering your transplants

How to squeeze more food into less space

Potatoes from the garden

Plant a fruit tree now -- for later

Win the weed war by tackling them in winter

Tips for planting bare-root trees, shrubs and vegetables

Time to give vegetable seedlings some more space

Ways to win the fight against weeds

FALL

Dec. 16: Add asparagus to your edible garden

Dec. 9: Soggy soil and what to do about it

Dec. 2: Plant artichokes now; enjoy for years to come

Nov. 25: It's late November, and your peach tree needs spraying

Nov. 18: What to do with all those fallen leaves?

Nov. 11: Prepare now for colder weather in the edible garden

Nov. 4: Plant a pea patch for you and your garden

Oct. 27: As citrus season begins, advice for backyard growers

Oct. 20: Change is in the autumn air 

Oct. 13: We don't talk (enough) about beets

Oct. 6: Fava beans do double duty

Sept. 30: Seeds or transplants for cool-season veggies?

Sept. 23: How to prolong the fall tomato harvest 

SUMMER

Sept. 16: Time to shut it down? 

Sept. 9: How to get the most out of your pumpkin patch

Sept. 2: Summer-to-fall transition time for evaluation, planning

Aug. 26: To pick or not to pick those tomatoes?

Aug. 19: Put worms to work for you

Aug. 12: Grow food while saving water

Aug. 5: Enhance your food with edible flowers

July 29: Why won't my tomatoes turn red?

July 22: A squash plant has mosaic virus, and it's not pretty

July 15: Does this plant need water?

July 8: Tear out that sad plant or baby it? Midsummer decisions

July 1: How to grow summer salad greens

June 24:  Weird stuff that's perfectly normal

SPRING

June 17: Help pollinators help your garden

June 10: Battling early-season tomato pests

June 3: Make your own compost

May 27: Where are the bees when you need them?

May 20: How to help tomatoes thrive on hot days

May 13: Your plants can tell you more than any calendar can

May 6: Maintain soil moisture with mulch for garden success

April 29: What's (already) wrong with my tomato plants?

April 22: Should you stock up on fertilizer? (Yes!)

April 15: Grow culinary herbs in containers

April 8: When to plant summer vegetables

April 1: Don't be fooled by these garden myths

March 25: Fertilizer tips: How to 'feed' your vegetables for healthy growth