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'Orchid Mania' workshop offered in person and online

Master gardeners cover basics of how to buy and care for orchids

Placer master gardeners will offer tips on caring for orchids such as this beautiful cymbidium.

Placer master gardeners will offer tips on caring for orchids such as this beautiful cymbidium. Debbie Arrington

Walk into any garden gift shop – or supermarket – and it’s clear: Orchids have become the go-to gift plant.

But which one to buy? And how do you care for these beautiful indoor tropicals? Or get them to rebloom?

Learn how at “Orchid Mania,” a new workshop offered by the UC Cooperative Education Master Gardeners of Placer County. And during this busy holiday season, this workshop will be presented both in-person in Loomis and via Zoom.

Set for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, “Orchid-Mania: How to Buy and Care for Orchids” will be hosted at Loomis Library, 6050 Library Drive, Loomis. It’s free with no advance registration necessary for the in-person event.

“This presentation is for you if you are ready to move beyond tossing orchids in the trash when they are done blooming, say the master gardeners. “You will learn how to keep and care for orchids and how to help them rebloom, maybe for many years. Warning: You may become addicted to these beautiful babies!”

This workshop will cover popular Phalaenopsis or moth orchids as well as Dendrobium and other species. Get some tips on outdoor grown cymbidiums, too.

And here’s a special free offer for those attending in person: Bring your ‘sad’ orchids for recommendations on how to make them ‘happy’ again.” That may include repotting or other ideas.

To watch it live on Zoom, you will need to register in advance to receive the link. For Zoom registration and link: https://pcmg.ucanr.org/?calitem=535876&g=131834

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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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