Sacramento and Placer experts available to answer questions
Whatever the weather, the gate will be open 9 a.m. to noon this Saturday at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center for the public to stroll the gardens, view demonstrations and ask gardening questions. Kathy Morrison
All gardening is local and, while many things remain consistent, there can be major differences from one county to the next.
On Saturday, Feb. 8, get the best local advice possible while also benefiting from the most recent UC research at two Open Gardens hosted by master gardeners, rain or shine. At both events, admission is free and the public – regardless of where they live or garden – is invited.
From 9 a.m. to noon, the Sacramento County master gardeners will host their Open Garden at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center, 11549 Fair Oaks Blvd., Fair Oaks.
“Open gardens are informal FREE events where you roam the gardens, watch what we are doing, see what we are growing and ask questions,” say the Sacramento master gardeners. “Bring samples of your problem plants, mystery pests and questions to the ‘Ask the Master Gardeners’ information table. Get one-on-one advice based on the most recent research-based sustainable practices.
“February is a great opportunity to observe and learn winter maintenance in the garden.” they add. “Join our demo on planting potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes/sunchokes from tubers. Learn how to prune blueberries, and watch a demonstration on how to prune ornamental grasses. Gather ideas for your spring planting projects.”
Also at the event, the Sacramento County Master Gardeners’ 2025 Gardening Guide and Calendar will be available for purchase; it’s $12 including sales tax.
Details and directions: https://sacmg.ucanr.edu/
Also on Saturday morning, the Placer County master gardeners will host their monthly Open Garden at their new Loomis Demonstration Garden at the Loomis Library, 6050 Library Drive, Loomis. The master gardeners will be on hand from 10 a.m. to noon.
The Loomis Demonstration Garden is a living classroom for the Placer County community that emphasizes sustainable gardening, integrated pest management and backyard food production.
A free 1-hour workshop on fruit tree selection and dormant planting starts at 10:30 a.m. inside the library.
Details and directions: https://pcmg.ucanr.edu/
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Food in My Back Yard (FIMBY) Series
FALL
Dec. 9: Soggy soil and what to do about it
Dec. 2: Plant artichokes now; enjoy for years to come
Nov. 25: It's late November, and your peach tree needs spraying
Nov. 18: What to do with all those fallen leaves?
Nov. 11: Prepare now for colder weather in the edible garden
Nov. 4: Plant a pea patch for you and your garden
Oct. 27: As citrus season begins, advice for backyard growers
Oct. 20: Change is in the autumn air
Oct. 13: We don't talk (enough) about beets
Oct. 6: Fava beans do double duty
Sept. 30: Seeds or transplants for cool-season veggies?
Sept. 23: How to prolong the fall tomato harvest
SUMMER
Sept. 16: Time to shut it down?
Sept. 9: How to get the most out of your pumpkin patch
Sept. 2: Summer-to-fall transition time for evaluation, planning
Aug. 26: To pick or not to pick those tomatoes?
Aug. 19: Put worms to work for you
Aug. 12: Grow food while saving water
Aug. 5: Enhance your food with edible flowers
July 29: Why won't my tomatoes turn red?
July 22: A squash plant has mosaic virus, and it's not pretty
July 15: Does this plant need water?
July 8: Tear out that sad plant or baby it? Midsummer decisions
July 1: How to grow summer salad greens
June 24: Weird stuff that's perfectly normal
SPRING
June 17: Help pollinators help your garden
June 10: Battling early-season tomato pests
June 3: Make your own compost
May 27: Where are the bees when you need them?
May 20: How to help tomatoes thrive on hot days
May 13: Your plants can tell you more than any calendar can
May 6: Maintain soil moisture with mulch for garden success
April 29: What's (already) wrong with my tomato plants?
April 22: Should you stock up on fertilizer? (Yes!)
April 15: Grow culinary herbs in containers
April 8: When to plant summer vegetables
April 1: Don't be fooled by these garden myths
March 25: Fertilizer tips: How to 'feed' your vegetables for healthy growth
WINTER
March 18: Time to give vegetable seedlings some more space
March 11: Ways to win the fight against weeds
March 4: Potatoes from the garden
Feb. 25: Plant a fruit tree now -- for later
Feb. 18: How to squeeze more food into less space
Feb. 11: When to plant? Consider staggering your transplants
Feb. 4: Starting in seed starting
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Garden checklist for week of Dec. 14
Rain is due midweek, but there should be some partly sunny breaks between rain clouds, especially Thursday. Make the most of those opportunities and show your garden some TLC.
* Brighten the holidays with winter bloomers such as poinsettias, amaryllis, calendulas, Iceland poppies, pansies and primroses.
* Keep poinsettias in a sunny, warm location. Water thoroughly. After the holidays, feed your plants monthly so they’ll bloom again next December.
* Rake and remove dead leaves and stems from dormant perennials.
* Rake and compost leaves from trees, 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.
* Clear gutters and storm drains.
* Prune dead or broken branches from trees.
* Plant bulbs at two-week intervals to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.
* Seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies, violas and snapdragons.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Plant garlic and onions.
* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.
* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while they’re dormant.
* Clean and sharpen garden tools before storing for the winter.
* Bare-root season begins. Plant bare-root berries, kiwifruit, grapes, artichokes, horseradish and rhubarb.
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