January is prime time to sharpen your skills – and your pruners
The orchard at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center looks quiet in winter, but crucial pruning happens at this time. It will be open to visitors and staffed by master gardeners during Open Garden Day on Jan. 21. Bring questions! Kathy Morrison
OK, gardeners, the holidays are behind us, even if the rain is not. Time to focus for real on winter garden care, especially the pruning of trees, shrubs, berries and roses. (Pruning of grapevines should wait until February.)
Debbie posts frequently here on rose pruning, and will do so again soon. Links to some of her past posts are at the bottom of the page.
The focus in this post is the other types of pruning, a topic that can provoke confusion and anxiety among gardeners: What if I prune my favorite fruit tree wrong? Will the perennial shrub blossom or even grow back properly if it is cut back heavily, as some suggest? What happens if a raspberry bush is left alone and never pruned?
It’s not a good idea to prune anything in the rain, so stick to indoor learning when it’s soggy out. Certainly reading material and videos on the subject abound. Just be sure of the source of the information, and stick with knowledgeable experts as opposed to self-anointed ones – less danger to yourself and the health of your plants.
The UCCE master gardeners in the region are an excellent source of information on pruning. If you’re the type of gardener who prefers in-person workshops, January includes several opportunities to watch and learn. Unless otherwise noted, these events are free and do not require registration:
– Saturday, Jan. 7, 9 a.m. to noon, Open Garden, Sherwood Demonstration Garden, maintained by the El Dorado County master gardeners. With 16 garden areas to peruse, there’s plenty to see and learn. This event is part of the El Dorado group’s First Saturday series, which offers a docent-led tour starting at 9 a.m. sharp. Note: Watch the weather forecast if you hope to attend. The garden will be closed if the chance of rain is 60 percent or more between 9 a.m and noon, or if temperatures below 40 degrees are expected. 6699 Campus Drive, Placerville
– Saturday, Jan. 14, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., “10 Tips for Backyard Orchards,” presented by the Placer County master gardeners. In addition to discussing fruit tree choice and planting, the workshop will discuss pruning tips and care advice. Loomis Library, 6050 Library Drive, Loomis.
– Saturday, Jan. 14, 10 a.m. to noon, “Pruning With Purpose,” presented by the City of Roseville and the Roseville Urban Forest Foundation, covering many types of pruning. Free, but requires registration. A few spots remain as of this writing. Register here for Jan. 14. An evening workshop also will be offered, 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26. Register here for the evening session; many spaces remain. And another Saturday morning class will be offered on Feb. 4.
– Saturday, Jan. 21, 9 a.m. to noon, Open Garden Day at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center, the demonstration garden of the Sacramento County master gardeners. The primary focus of this first 2023 Open Garden is pruning, especially in the Orchard, but also in other areas of the FOHC such as the Berry Garden and the Water Efficient Landscape. Ask questions, take notes and gain some pruning courage! 11549 Fair Oaks Blvd., Fair Oaks.
– Saturday, Jan. 21, 9 a.m. to noon, “Fruit Tree Pruning Demonstration” presented by the El Dorado County master gardeners at their Sherwood Demonstration Garden. 6699 Campus Drive, Placerville.
Here are some of Debbie’s previous posts on pruning roses:
-- December rose care: Start pruning now
-- Late pruning is better than no pruning
-- How do you prune carpet roses?
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Garden Checklist for week of April 14
It's still not warm enough to transplant tomatoes directly in the ground, but we’re getting there.
* 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 needs nutrients. Fertilize 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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