Sacramento master gardeners will be available for questions, tips during Open Garden
The Water-Efficient Landscape at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center is open to the public daily during daylight hours, but the remainder of the center is open only during Harvest Day and Open Gardens, including this Saturday. Kathy Morrison
After a long hot summer, it's so nice to be in the garden again. With almost-fall weather settling into the region, the Sacramento County master gardeners will open the entire Fair Oaks Horticulture Center to visitors this Saturday morning.
Open Garden Day is held monthly through most of the year. From 9 a.m. to noon, visitors can wander the Horticulture Center and observe the work master gardeners are engaged in. The public is welcome to ask questions and seek advice, either in the FOHC's various gardens or at the "Ask a Master Gardener" table. (Bring samples of problem plants or unknown insects in a zip-top plastic bag.)
Mini talks also are held during the morning. This Saturday's topics and times are:
-- 9:30 a.m. Preparing Your Garden for Winter: Think Tiny (Lower Arbor)
-- 10 a.m. How to Harvest Black Gold from Your Worm Bin (Upper Arbor)
-- 10:30 a.m. Transplanting Nursery Plants for a Healthy Start (WEL Round Arbor)
The master gardeners' 2025 Gardening Guide and Calendar will be on sale during the Open Garden events, as well. It sells for $12, cash or check only at the Open Garden. It's more than a calendar -- it's a whole year of gardening advice in one publication.
Interested in becoming a Sacramento County master gardener? This Open Garden also offers the opportunity to find out about the program from the folks already in it. The application period for the 2025 class opened recently and will run through Oct. 10. (The application form and training information can be found here.)
The Fair Oaks Horticulture Center includes the Water-Efficient Landscape (open daily during daylight hours) and these areas that are open only during Harvest Day and Open Gardens: Orchard, Herb Garden, Berry Patch, Composting, Vegetable Garden and Vineyard. Each area will be staffed Saturday morning.
The Horticulture Center is at 11549 Fair Oaks Blvd., Fair Oaks, just south of the Fair Oaks Library. For more information on Sacramento master gardener events, go to https://sacmg.ucanr.edu/
The final FOHC Open Garden of 2024 will be Wednesday, Oct. 16, from 9 a.m. to noon.
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Food in My Back Yard Series
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Garden Checklist for week of March 16
Make the most of dry breaks between showers. Your garden is in high-growth mode.
* Pull weeds now! Don’t let them get started. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout.
* Prepare 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 now in bloom and setting fruit. 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).
* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch-thick under the tree (but avoid piling it up around the trunk). 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. (To speed germination, soak beet seeds overnight in room-temperature water before planting.)
* 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.
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