Event features succulents, natives and water-wise perennials; members get in early
Some of the plants sold at the UC Davis Arboretum Nursery carry signs designating them as "future favorites," or plants adaptable to the changing climate. These include Argentine rain lilies. Kathy Morrison
Find hundreds (make that thousands) of possibilities at the UC Davis Arboretum’s Teaching Nursery.
This Sunday, April 7, the arboretum’s 1-acre nursery will host its first public sale of the season. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the sale will be open to everyone. Admission is free.
Want an early start on plant shopping? From 9 to 10 a.m., members of Friends of the Arboretum get first crack Sunday. Not a member? Join at the gate, get at 10% discount and a $10 coupon for the sale.
April is a wonderful time to add water-wise perennials, shrubs, trees and native plants to our landscapes. The weather is warming and so is the soil, which is moist and soft due to recent rain.
Two more sales are scheduled after Sunday: A split sale April 27 and the season-ending spring clearance May 11.
Now available online, the updated inventory list covers 53 pages from four varieties of Abutilon (flowering maple) to three species of Zephyranthes (Argentine rain or zephyr lily). Find it here: https://ucdavis.app.box.com/s/cqttqucpsq1oresaluj2zyz1cpwkf5uf
Also useful is an accompanying photo gallery with hundreds of shots of featured plants. It helps visualize how the baby plants in their 4-inch or 1-gallon pots will look like when fully grown. (Sometimes, that’s much, much bigger.) Atop the gallery are several varieties of mangave, a succulent hybrid of agave and manfreda that’s a favorite for water-wise landscaping.
See the gallery here: https://airtable.com/appGYzBN8THFEAEsX/shrN3Jyghg4NNcK7L/tbl2CPT7gEomY1f0S
Take it from our experience: Research plants before you shop, and compile a list with the plant locations in the nursery. Bring a wagon or rolling cart if you have one. Often early in the sale, there’s a waiting list for the nursery wagons.
The Arboretum Teaching Nursery is located at 1046 Garrod Drive, Davis, on the UC Davis campus near the small-animal veterinary hospital. Parking is available in the adjoining lots. Student volunteers stationed on corners can direct visitors to parking areas.
Details and directions: https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/.
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Garden Checklist for week of Dec. 8
Make the most of dry weather while we have it this week. Rain is returning.
* Rake leaves away from storm drains and gutters. Recycle those leaves as mulch or add to compost.
* It’s not too late to plant something. 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.
* 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.
* Plant garlic and onions.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while they’re dormant.
* Clean and sharpen garden tools before storing for the winter.
* Mulch, water and cover tender plants to protect them during threat of frost. Succulent plants are at particular risk if temperatures drop below freezing. Make sure to remove coverings during the day.
* Rake and remove dead leaves and stems from dormant perennials.
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