Elk Grove, Orangevale each host information events
Learn how to grow pumpkins -- many times bigger than this one! -- during "Grow Orangevale Gardening Day" this Saturday. Elk Grove also will be the site of a garden information event, on both Saturday and Sunday. Kathy Morrison
The first spring weekend is ahead of us, but it's going to be rainy! Gee, and just as we were re-adjusting to getting dirt under our fingernails and wearing sun protection.
Well, here's how to make the best of it: This weekend, two free gardening information events will be held, one at either end of Sacramento County. Open to all, these events will be especially useful for beginning gardeners, but also should have good refresher information for experienced folks.
Ever wanted to grow a giant pumpkin? In Orangevale on Saturday, teen gardener and youth pumpkin weigh-off champion Sankalp Immadisetty will offer his tips as part of the "Grow Orangevale Gardening Day" event at the Orangevale Library.
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., "Grow Orangevale" will have a full slate of talks, as well as a plant and seed swap. (The public is welcome to bring plants or seeds to trade.)
Podcaster and lifetime master gardener "Farmer Fred" Hoffman will speak at 11 a.m., followed by Immadisetty and the Orangevale Farm & Garden Club at noon. A composting workshop with Lisa Christensen begins at 1 p.m., and the California Native Plant Society will give a presentation at 2 p.m.
The Orangevale Library is at 8820 Greenback Lane, Suite L, Orangevale.
In Elk Grove, meanwhile, the Elk Grove Community Garden and Learning Center will present a free "Gardening 101" class, 10 a.m. to noon. both Saturday and Sunday. "Learn to set up a garden big or small," say organizers. "Learn the importance of soil, water and sun."
RSVPs for this event can be called in to (916) 818-9108, but walk-ins also are welcome. The Elk Grove garden is at 10025 Hampton Oak Drive, Elk Grove.
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Flowers in My Back Yard Series
April 7: Calendulas do double duty
April 3: Make Easter lilies last for years to come
March 31: In praise of a pollinator magnet (small-leaf salvias)
March 24: Azaleas brighten shady spots
March 17: The perfect flower for beginners? Try zonal geraniums
March 10: Keep camellias happy for years to come
March 3: Fruit tree blossoms are a fleeting joy
Feb. 27: Are your roses looking rusty?
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Feb. 10: Let's talk Valentine's Day roses
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Garden checklist for week of April 12
After these storms pass, get to work on spring clean-up.
* Weed, weed, weed! Take advantage of soft soil and pull them before they go to seed.
* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, 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. Late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.
* Transplant heat-resistant lettuce seedlings.
* Feed roses and other spring-blooming shrubs.
* 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.
* 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.
* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds. Avoid "volcano mulching" -- be sure to keep mulch a few inches away from tree trunks or the stems of shrubs. This prevents rot and disease.
Contact Us
Send us a gardening question, a post suggestion or information about an upcoming event. sacdigsgardening@gmail.com
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
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
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
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