'Members Only' event marks 50th anniversary
The line to check out can get very long at the UC Davis Arboretum plant sale, but volunteers -- including one with a helpful sign -- make it go quickly. Kathy Morrison
For half a century, this event has been making a difference in the way we garden. It’s time to celebrate – with another big sale!
On Saturday, March 8, the Arboretum Teaching Nursery at UC Davis hosts its first plant sale of the spring and officially kicks off its 50th anniversary celebration of public plant sales.
Set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., this “Members Only” sale is restricted to Friends of the Arboretum – the folks who started these sales and still provide the bulk of support.
Not a member? No problem! Join at the gate and get a 10% discount as well as a $10 coupon to use on plant purchases.
Since 1975, UCD’s Arboretum has been hosting annual spring plant sales, starting with a simple one-day event organized by the Friends of the Arboretum.
“It brought people out to the Arboretum, which gave better visibility in the community, and it encouraged the use of environmentally appropriate plants in local horticulture,” explained Ellen Zagory, the Arboretum’s director of horticulture emerita.
Originally dubbed the “Plant Faire,” the sale evolved along with the Arboretum. The very first event (held in 1974) featured all irises; the Arboretum was phasing out its iris garden and patrons brought shovels to dig up their own.
The once-a-year Plant Faire morphed into spring and fall sales that support the Arboretum’s gardens and programs. This spring includes four scheduled sales: March 8, April 6 and 26 and the clearance sale May 10.
Since 1975, these sales have emphasized easy-to-grow, sustainable plants that are perfect for our region. Most of the plants now offered for sale are propagated from the Arboretum’s own vast collections.
“Shop the one-acre Arboretum Teaching Nursery to find an incredible selection of attractive, low-water plants perfect for our region,” says the staff. “By choosing to shop with us, not only will you bring home beautiful plants that help support a sustainable environment, your purchases play a vital role in supporting the growth and care of our gardens, student environmental leadership opportunities, and free public programs. Discover the joys of gardening with plants that help heal our environment while nurturing our community!”
The Arboretum Teaching Nursery is located on Garrod Drive near the Small Animal Veterinary Hospital on the UC Davis campus. Parking is free on the weekends: follow the signs and student volunteers' flag.
Make sure to study the inventory list before shopping – there are thousands of plants from which to choose. Here's a sale veteran's tip: Bring your own cart or wagon to haul plants and you won't have to wait for one of the nursery's wagons.
Find all the links including the plant inventory here: https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/plant-sales.
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Food in My Back Yard Series
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Garden Checklist for week of March 16
Make the most of dry breaks between showers. Your garden is in high-growth mode.
* Pull weeds now! Don’t let them get started. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout.
* Prepare vegetable beds. Spade in compost and other amendments.
* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.
* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to help corral blossom blight.
* Feed citrus trees, which are now in bloom and setting fruit. To prevent sunburn and borer problems on young trees, paint the exposed portion of the trunk with diluted white latex (water-based) interior paint. Dilute the paint with an equal amount of cold water before application.
* Feed roses with a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in that product).
* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch-thick under the tree (but avoid piling it up around the trunk). This serves as both fertilizer and mulch, retaining moisture while cutting down on weeds.
* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.
* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and cole family plants, such as cauliflower, broccoli, collards and kale.
* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground. (To speed germination, soak beet seeds overnight in room-temperature water before planting.)
* Before the mercury starts inching upward, this is your last chance to plant such annuals as pansies, violas and primroses.
* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.
* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.
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