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Mon, Jun 12, 2023

See bug-eating plants at Sacramento showcase

Sacramento Bromeliad and Carnivorous Plant Society hosts 53rd annual show and sale at Shepard Center.

Sun, Jun 11, 2023

Love blueberry muffins? This coffee cake is for you

NEW Blueberry-lemon coffee cake with streusel topping.

Sat, Jun 10, 2023

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of June 11

Coolish June weather continues but watch out for threat of thunderstorms.

Fri, Jun 09, 2023

Skeeter season arrives with bad mosquitoes, West Nile Virus

Don't make a home for disease-carrying pests; take precautions

Thu, Jun 08, 2023

Invasive species are threats to California's natural landscapes

Raising awareness of these plants is a statewide effort

Wed, Jun 07, 2023

Learn how to manage summer fruit trees for a better crop

Soil Born offers hands-on workshop in its American River Ranch orchard

Tue, Jun 06, 2023

California's favorite flower? We're 'All About Lavender'

Free workshop covers how to grow, harvest and use this popular herb

Mon, Jun 05, 2023

McKinley Park trees about to get 'yarn bombed'

Sacramento Center for Textile Arts celebrates International Yarn Bombing Day

Sun, Jun 04, 2023

Enjoy fresh apricots in an easy appetizer

NEW No cooking involved in this seasonal creation

Sat, Jun 03, 2023

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of June 4

With more coolish weather ahead, there's still time to plant for summer

Fri, Jun 02, 2023

Zoom in on the Kitchen Garden: Tomatoes, pests and more

Yolo master gardeners present an online and in-person chat Saturday

Thu, Jun 01, 2023

Thank you to our readers; Sacramento Digs Gardening celebrates 5 years

That's 1,825 posts and counting -- all related to local gardening

Wed, May 31, 2023

Welcome to an 'Hour' of weddings, roses

SDG's Debbie Arrington among experts at Fair Oaks event

Tue, May 30, 2023

'America's Best Gardens' tour includes two in Placer County

See Poswalls' Springhill near Lincoln and a hidden Newcastle oasis

Mon, May 29, 2023

Murer House celebrates Lavender Day in Folsom

Learn how to grow, enjoy this favorite flowering herb

Sun, May 28, 2023

Make a small batch of easy, lemony strawberry preserves

NEW Sunny strawberry-Meyer lemon preserves without added pectin

Sat, May 27, 2023

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of May 28

Make most of mild Memorial Day weekend weather

Fri, May 26, 2023

It's not too late to plant tomatoes (and more)

How to make the most now of our unusual spring combination

Thu, May 25, 2023

Sacramento County organic waste program yields 'black gold'

Free compost available to residents in pilot recycling program

Wed, May 24, 2023

The Secret Garden hosts Succulent Extravaganza

Huge sale and educational event set for Memorial Day weekend in Elk Grove

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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 Jan. 5

Take advantage of this break between storm systems to give your garden some much-needed TLC.

* Prune, prune, prune. Now is the time to cut back most deciduous trees and shrubs. The exceptions are spring-flowering shrubs such as lilacs.

* Now is the time to prune fruit trees. (The exceptions are apricot and cherry trees, which are susceptible to a fungus that causes dieback. Save them until summer.) Clean up leaves and debris around the trees to prevent the spread of disease.

* Prune roses, even if they’re still trying to bloom. Strip off any remaining leaves, so the bush will be able to put out new growth in early spring.

* Clean up leaves and debris around your newly pruned roses and shrubs. Put down fresh mulch or bark to keep roots cozy.

* Apply horticultural oil to fruit trees soon after a rain to control scale, mites and aphids. Oils need 24 hours of dry weather after application to be effective.

* This is also the time to spray a copper-based fungicide to peach and nectarine trees to fight leaf curl. (The safest effective fungicides available for backyard trees are copper soap -- aka copper octanoate -- or copper ammonium, a fixed copper fungicide. Apply either of these copper products with 1% horticultural oil to increase effectiveness.)

* When forced bulbs sprout, move them to a cool, bright window. Give them a quarter turn each day so the stems will grow straight.

* Browse through seed catalogs and start making plans for spring and summer.

* Divide daylilies, Shasta daisies and other perennials.

* Cut back and divide chrysanthemums.

* Plant bare-root roses, trees and shrubs.

* Transplant pansies, violas, calendulas, English daisies, snapdragons and fairy primroses.

* In the vegetable garden, plant fava beans, head lettuce, mustard, onion sets, radicchio and radishes.

* Plant bare-root asparagus and root divisions of rhubarb.

* In the bulb department, plant callas, anemones, ranuculous and gladiolus for bloom from late spring into summer.

* Plant blooming azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons. If you’re shopping for these beautiful landscape plants, you can now find them in full flower at local nurseries.

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!