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Free workshop shows how to grow, use culinary herbs

El Dorado County master gardeners spotlight these flavorful plants from garden to gourmet

Basil is likely the most popular annual herb to grow in a kitchen garden, but many other herbs are perennials. Learn about culinary herbs at an El Dorado master gardener class this weekend.

Basil is likely the most popular annual herb to grow in a kitchen garden, but many other herbs are perennials. Learn about culinary herbs at an El Dorado master gardener class this weekend. Kathy Morrison

Herbs do more than flavor food. In the garden, they can attract beneficial insects while keeping pests away. And many of these versatile herbs are good-looking landscape plants, too.

Learn how to make the most of these plants and grow your own in “Culinary Herbs: From Garden to Gourmet,” a free workshop presented by the UCCE master gardeners of El Dorado County.

Set for 9 a.m. Saturday, March 23, this three-hour class will be held at Blackstone Community Center in El Dorado Hills. It’s open to anyone (not just El Dorado County residents) and will inspire participants in the kitchen as well as the garden.

“No fat, low fat, no salt, watch the sugar; we’re constantly bombarded about how to eat healthier,” say the master gardeners. “One of the best ways to introduce healthy, delicious flavor into meals is to use herbs in our cooking. Many are easy to grow and preserve. They also make beautiful landscape plants and many of their flowers are edible.

“Join master gardeners Jan Keahey and Ada Brehmer to explore the herbs that grow well in our area, how to propagate and grow, when to harvest and how to preserve,” they add. “And you will be able to propagate herbs to take home with you.”

Blackstone Community Center is located at 1461 Blackstone Parkway, El Dorado Hills. Questions? Email mgeldorado@ucanr.edu.

For more on El Dorado master gardener programs: https://mgeldorado.ucanr.edu/.

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Garden Checklist for week of Feb. 16

Take advantage of this nice weather. There’s plenty to do as your garden starts to switch into high gear for spring growth.

* This is the last chance to spray fruit trees before their buds open. Treat peach and nectarine trees with copper-based fungicide. Spray apricot trees at bud swell to prevent brown rot. Apply horticultural oil to control scale, mites and aphids on fruit trees.

* Check soil moisture before resuming irrigation. Most likely, your soil is still pretty damp.

* Feed spring-blooming shrubs and fall-planted perennials with slow-release fertilizer. Feed mature trees and shrubs after spring growth starts.

* 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 cauliflower – 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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