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Sun, Jul 21, 2024

Nectarines and skillet meatballs: Who knew?

Summer stone fruit flavors a quick-cooking sauce

Fri, Jul 19, 2024

Hot tomato! What's wrong with those vines?

Surviving triple-digit temperatures comes down to moisture, mulch

Thu, Jul 18, 2024

Garden questions and answers down at The Farm

Master gardeners field queries from State Fair visitors

Wed, Jul 17, 2024

California’s worst weed loves heat and is growing fast

Don’t let bindweed overwhelm your garden; tips on how to cope with this invasive plant

Tue, Jul 16, 2024

See lots of little webs? Spider mites love heat

Tiny pests thrive during hot, dry, dusty conditions

Mon, Jul 15, 2024

Sacramento Iris Society hosts one-day sale

Add a rainbow of color to your water-wise garden with easy-care bearded irises

Sun, Jul 14, 2024

Overripe banana inspires summer breakfast treat

New! Banana blueberry pancakes (with one banana lots of blueberries).

Sat, Jul 13, 2024

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of July 14

After record-setting heat, Sacramento gardeners may be getting a break

Fri, Jul 12, 2024

How to save a half-dead plant

Tips to rescue vegetables, shrubs, container plants and more after too much sun, heat

Thu, Jul 11, 2024

Celebrate gardening at Harvest Day on Aug. 3

Free event includes speakers, demonstrations, vendors

Wed, Jul 10, 2024

No zucchini? Grab a paintbrush

How to give bees a hand and pollinate squash, cucumber, melon and pumpkin flowers

Tue, Jul 09, 2024

Learn how to make compost at free workshop

Placer County master gardeners also host monthly Open Garden at Loomis Library.

Mon, Jul 08, 2024

California State Fair returns Friday with plenty of farm-inspired fun

Visit master gardeners at the State Fair Farm, pet a live sturgeon.

Sun, Jul 07, 2024

Fresh summer veggies, marinated and grilled

New! Pick your garden favorites for a quick side dish

Sat, Jul 06, 2024

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of July 7

Remember to water; Sacramento could be in midst of record heat wave

Fri, Jul 05, 2024

How to help honey bees survive in this heat

Water trays benefit these beneficial insects in more ways than one

Thu, Jul 04, 2024

Heat wave effects: You know you're a gardener when ...

Early watering and extra worries define these hot days

Wed, Jul 03, 2024

Cool workshops coming to The Secret Garden

Sign up now to learn about mosaic, terrariums, succulents and more

Tue, Jul 02, 2024

Hungry grasshoppers invade Roseville neighborhoods -- what to do

Lincoln and Rancho Cordova also affected, and that's just the start

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Taste Fall! E-cookbook

Muffins and pumpkin

Find our fall recipes here!

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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 17

Expect the coming storms to knock down an enormous amount of leaves. Grab a rake and get to work!

* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.

* Use some of those nice fall leaves as mulch around shrubs and trees or in the vegetable garden.

* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.

* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.

* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.

* After they bloom, chrysanthemums should be trimmed to 6 to 8 inches above the ground. If in pots, keep the mums in their containers until next spring. Then, they can be planted in the ground, if desired, or repotted.

* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.

* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.

* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.

* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.

* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.

* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.

* Plant garlic and onions.

Taste Spring! E-cookbook

Strawberries

Find our spring recipes here!

Taste Summer! E-cookbook

square-tomatoes-plate.jpg

Find our summer recipes here!

Taste Winter! E-cookbook

Lemon coconut pancakes

Find our winter recipes here!