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Thu, Jan 09, 2025

How fire-resistant are your neighborhood trees?

Los Angeles firestorm a reminder of how wildfire can spread with aid of landscape

Wed, Jan 08, 2025

Celebrate houseplants with propagation workshop

Green Acres' Roseville location hosts special event devoted to indoor gardening

Tue, Jan 07, 2025

Master gardeners host Open Gardens in two counties

Sacramento and Placer groups welcome visitors to their demonstration gardens with free workshops

Sun, Jan 05, 2025

Double-lemon muffins help ease post-holiday gloom

New! Cream cheese filling enhances a winter treat

Sat, Jan 04, 2025

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Jan. 5

Make the most of dry, sunny January weather

Fri, Jan 03, 2025

Snowpack survey offers positive NorCal water outlook

Get up-to-date local water information with handy online tool

Thu, Jan 02, 2025

Declutter your seed collection, too, this month

Before buying more, thin your seed stockpile; compost or share the rest

Wed, Jan 01, 2025

Resolutions for a great 2025 garden year

How to be a better (and more thoughtful) gardener

Tue, Dec 31, 2024

Start the New Year with expert gardening advice

Get 2025 garden guides/calendars from Sacramento, Placer master gardeners

Mon, Dec 30, 2024

Gray mold gives rose gardens winter blues

Fungal disease prompted by wet weather; tips for stopping its spread

Sun, Dec 29, 2024

Persimmons put seasonal twist on California favorite

New! Persimmon date-walnut tea bread uses super-ripe fruit

Sat, Dec 28, 2024

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Dec. 29

Pruning season arrives after another soggy weekend

Fri, Dec 27, 2024

Tomato report card: What to plant in 2025

Weird weather did produce some winners (and a few winter tomatoes)

Thu, Dec 26, 2024

Pick oranges now or wait? Here's how to know

Taste-test the fruit -- every year can be slightly different

Wed, Dec 25, 2024

Recycle your Christmas tree into a garden gift

Where to mulch your tree for free in Sacramento and Yolo counties

Tue, Dec 24, 2024

Volunteers needed for Sacramento's most romantic spot

Learn pruning while helping McKinley Park rose garden at two January events

Mon, Dec 23, 2024

How to care for moth orchids

Popular gift plant is easy to love (remember to add ice)

Sun, Dec 22, 2024

Put a lemony, seasonal twist on red and green coleslaw

New! Brussels sprouts-apple slaw with pomegranate, pistachios and Meyer lemon dressing

Sat, Dec 21, 2024

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Dec. 22

Expect a very wet Christmas week; make most of breaks between storms

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Taste Winter! E-cookbook

Lemon coconut pancakes

Find our winter recipes here!

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Garden Checklist for week of March 9

Make the most of the sunny days before the rain arrives mid-week; your garden needs some TLC.

* Pull weeds now! Don’t let them get started. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout.

* Start preparing vegetable beds. Spade in compost and other amendments.

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.

* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to help corral blossom blight.

* Feed citrus trees, which are starting to bloom. To prevent sunburn and borer problems on young trees, paint the exposed portion of the trunk with diluted white latex (water-based) interior paint. Dilute the paint with an equal amount of cold water before application.

* Feed roses with a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in that product; organic fertilizers tend to have lower numbers, such as 4-4-4).

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch thick under the tree. This serves as both fertilizer and mulch, retaining moisture while cutting down on weeds.

* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.

* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and cole family plants, such as cauliflower, broccoli, collards and kale.

* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground.

* Before the mercury starts inching upward, this is your last chance to plant such annuals as pansies, violas and primroses.

* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.

* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.

* Soil pH is important for blueberries to produce a crop. Now is the time to test the soil around the plants using a soil test or soil meter. The soil should be in the 4.5 to 5.5 range; most Sacramento soil is in the 7 range. The sulfur package will list the amount to apply, depending on what the test shows.

Taste Spring! E-cookbook

Strawberries

Find our spring recipes here!

Taste Summer! E-cookbook

square-tomatoes-plate.jpg

Find our summer recipes here!

Taste Fall! E-cookbook

Muffins and pumpkin

Find our fall recipes here!