Placer master gardeners present Fall Open House in sync with community event
Thanks to wet winter, Sacramento's annual rain total for 2023-24 almost average
Dozens of plant and crafts clubs offer plants, books, jewelry, artwork and more
Elk Grove Giant Pumpkin Festival returns Oct. 5 and 6
New! Toasted coconut, mustard seeds and nuts provide crunch
After September heat, October starts out with triple digits
UC Davis Arboretum celebrates 50 years of fall plant sales.
Water-wise gardening, lavender crafts, fascinating insects and a river habitat celebration
All seven locations will offer seasonal family fun, garden workshops
After oak falls on her house, Auburn teacher turns once-shady space into pollinator paradise
Mazes, pumpkin patch, free tram tours plus gardening experts
New! End-of-summer squash in a side dish or appetizer
Fall gets off to a hot start; it’s time to plant for cool weather ahead
Placer County master gardeners will sell new information-packed calendar at Auburn Home and Harvest Fest
CNPS chapter holds Sept. 21-22 sale with pick-up later
Participate in national Roses in Review survey
Street Festival takes over Capitol Mall; The Village Feast returns to Davis Central Park
Elk Grove landscape designer shows how to use native plants to create bird- and bee-friendly gardens
New! A cobbler perfect for a seasonal transition
Coming soon: Much cooler temperatures with possibility of rain
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Garden Checklist for week of Dec. 15
Get outside early this week to check on your garden and take care of issues before the rain starts up again:
* Between showers this week, take advantage of soft soil; it’s not too late to plant cool-season annuals. But be careful of soggy ground; it can compact easily. Soggy soil also will rot newly planted bulbs. Wait until the soil is moist but not dripping wet.
* Rake leaves away from storm drains and gutters. Recycle those leaves as mulch or add to compost.
* Brighten the holidays with winter bloomers such as poinsettias, amaryllis, calendulas, Iceland poppies, pansies and primroses.
* Keep poinsettias in a sunny, warm location; bring them inside at night or if there’s rain. (They don’t like cold, wet weather.)
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while they’re dormant.
* Clean and sharpen garden tools before storing for the winter.
* Rake and remove dead leaves and stems from dormant perennials.
* Seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Trees and shrubs can be planted now, especially bare-root varieties such as fruit trees or rose bushes. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from winter rains.
* Plant bare-root berries, kiwifruit, grapes, artichokes, horseradish and rhubarb.
* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Plant garlic and onions.