Sacramento neighborhood hosts garden tour, plant sale
Carmichael Cactus and Succulent Society hosts 46th annual show and sale
New! Spring asparagus blends well with green garlic
Spring growth gets heat check as Sacramento hits 90-plus
Find bargain prices on 11,000 water-wise perennials, shrubs, trees, succulents, natives and more.
Placer, El Dorado master gardeners also welcome visitors to their sites
Six stunning private gardens, boutique to be open for popular event
Plenty of compact varieties available to highest bidders
Sacramento Chrysanthemum Society offers 1,000 plants in 85-plus varieties
NEW! Fresh strawberry-orange salsa with green onions
Chilly storm throws another curve into spring weather
Nation's oldest club of its kind continues tradition
Sunday event also features plant and seed swap, vendors and kid-oriented activities
Gallery combines art and garden appreciation in popular event
Five locations open Saturday with wood chips for local gardens
Sacramento Cactus and Succulent Society hosts big event featuring demonstration garden
NEW Upside-down cake features stripes of rhubarb, dots of blueberries
Sunshine follows April showers for a warm end to month
'Gardens of Folsom' spotlights seven private landscapes plus two bonus gardens
Free beekeeping intro in Elk Grove; seed exchange in Folsom
Sacramento Digs Gardening to your inbox.
Food in My Back Yard Series
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
Sites We Like
Garden Checklist for week of March 9
Make the most of the sunny days before the rain arrives mid-week; your garden needs some TLC.
* Pull weeds now! Don’t let them get started. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout.
* Start preparing 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 starting to bloom. 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; organic fertilizers tend to have lower numbers, such as 4-4-4).
* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch thick under the tree. 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.
* 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.
* Soil pH is important for blueberries to produce a crop. Now is the time to test the soil around the plants using a soil test or soil meter. The soil should be in the 4.5 to 5.5 range; most Sacramento soil is in the 7 range. The sulfur package will list the amount to apply, depending on what the test shows.