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Winter garden prep session offers perks

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED OCT 24, 2018

A winter garden prep class will be taught by Taylor Lewis, nursery manager at the UC Davis Arboretum. (Photo courtesy UC Davis Arboretum)

Learn and shop at the UC Davis Arboretum Teaching Nursery

Taylor Lewis knows how to make things grow. As nursery manager of the UC Davis Arboretum Teaching Nursery, he grows tens of thousands of healthy plants for use both in the arboretum's gardens as well as for sale to the public.

Besides the nursery, Lewis is an avid organic gardener, adept at growing all sorts of vegetables.
What's the secret to garden success? Like anything, it's preparation.

On Tuesday, Oct. 30, Lewis will lead a special class, "Garden Prep for Winter." Held at the Arboretum Teaching Nursery, the 10 a.m. session starts with 90 minutes of tips and expert advice from Lewis on how to put some parts of the garden to sleep for winter cold while adding winter flair to other areas.

Late October and November are excellent for transplanting many things in our area. There's also still time to put in a winter vegetable garden.

After discussion and Lewis' suggestions, class attendees enjoy a private sale at the nursery, which specializes in low-water flowering plants that grow terrifically in the Sacramento area. With no crowd, it's a great opportunity to shop for perennials, shrubs, trees, ground covers and California natives including many Arboretum All-Stars.

There's still a lot to choose from; Lewis grew about 670 varieties this season.

The class is $18 ($12 for Friends of the Arboretum); $28 ($22 for Friends) including reserved parking in front of the nursery, located on Garrod Drive on the UC Davis campus. Reserved parking must be purchased at least three days in advance.

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Arboretum All Stars fall planting gardening Sacramento vegetables events California natives UC Davis Arboretum fall gardening perennials

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Garden Checklist for week of April 21

This week there’s plenty to keep gardeners busy. With no rain in the immediate forecast, remember to irrigate any new transplants.

* Weed, weed, weed! Get them before they flower and go to seed.

* 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? 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.

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

* 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.

* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, 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.

* Mid to late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Transplant lettuce seedlings. Choose varieties that mature quickly such as loose leaf.

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