'Mulch Mayhem' returns to Sacramento, Placer counties
Sacramento group hosts huge show and sale at Shepard Center
NEW Strawberry quick bread with walnuts
After several summer-like days, cooler weather returns
Find spring inspiration at these special weekend events
The free tour includes 26 gardens from Folsom to Woodland
Hundreds of water-wise selections available; see them in bloom
Spectacular tropical showcase set for Wyndham Hotel this weekend
See hundreds in bloom and learn more about roses
NEW! Roasting the fruit concentrates flavors
Spring warm-up means one thing: Time to plant tomatoes
Find hundreds of annuals, vegetables and more, including some big bargains
Test your knowledge with a quick quiz
After five-year hiatus, popular event features five historic homes
Placer County master gardeners mark anniversary with workshops, speakers
Enjoy unique private Sacramento gardens plus plant and garden art sales
NEW Orange-raisin sour cream scones with orange-vanilla glaze
Warmer days are enticing for tomato planting
April puts spotlight on America's growing pastime
Weekend events range from Natomas to Orangevale to Placerville
Sacramento Digs Gardening to your inbox.
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Garden Checklist for week of Jan. 26
As a very dry January winds down, there is still time to get winter chores done:
* 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. Clean up leaves and debris around the trees to prevent the spread of disease. Exceptions: Cherry and apricot trees, which should wait until summer.
* 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.
* After possible rain this weekend, apply horticultural oil to fruit trees 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 oil to peach and nectarine trees to fight leaf curl. Best done when no wet or windy weather occurs in the 24 hours before and after any spraying is done.
* When forced bulbs sprout, move them to a cool, bright window. Give them a quarter turn each day so the stems will grow straight.
* 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, ranunculus 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.
* Browse through seed catalogs and start making plans for spring and summer. Start pepper and tomato seeds, especially those that require 90 or more days to maturity.