Thursday event coincides with Fair Oaks' Summer Preview
Check out the various types of berries developing in the Berry Patch at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center, during Open Garden on Thursday evening from 4 to 7 p.m. Kathy Morrison
Got garden questions? Who doesn’t, considering our weird spring weather? Here’s your chance to get expert advice from Sacramento County master gardeners – at a time convenient to folks who can’t make weekend mornings.
On Thursday evening, May 4, the master gardeners will host an Open Garden event at Fair Oaks Horticulture Center in Fair Oaks Park – rain or shine. Admission and parking are free.
From 4 to 7 p.m., watch master gardeners as they tend to spring tasks and prepare for summer planting and rapid growth.
“Join us for an evening in the garden,” say the master gardeners. “Bring your family and friends to see the new spring growth in our garden for ideas to use in yours. From vegetables in raised beds, grapes grown in barrels, fragrant herbs or espalier fruit. You will be motivated to start gardening this season.”
The master gardeners suggest these activities during Open Garden:
* Berries: Notice the varieties of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries for our region.
* Compost: See various ways to turn your backyard and kitchen waste into high-grade organic fertilizer.
*Herbs: Note culinary herbs in full display -- pleasing to the eyes and nose alike.
* Orchard: See all the varieties of fruit starting develop.
* Vegetables: The All-American colorful demonstration garden is ready for spring.
* Vineyard: Walk through the delicious varieties of grapes and see how they can be grown.
* Water Efficient Landscape: Look for pollinators among the native grasses and shrubs.
Got a garden mystery, problem pest or puzzling plant? Bring photos and/or sample (in a sealed plastic zipper bag) to the Ask a Master Gardener table.
Fair Oaks Horticulture Center is located at 11549 Fair Oaks Blvd., Fair Oaks.
And there’s more! On that same evening, from 5 to 7 p.m., Fair Oaks Park is hosting the park district’s “Summer Preview” with community booths, registration for summer programs, classic cars and food trucks. This event also is free.
Visit the master gardeners, then check out the community programs and get dinner.
Details and directions: https://sacmg.ucanr.edu.
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Food in My Back Yard Series
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
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 April 27
Once the clouds clear, get to work. Spring growth is in high gear.
* Set out tomato, pepper and eggplant transplants.
* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, radishes and squash. Plant onion sets.
* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias. Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.
* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom. Late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.
* Transplant lettuce and cabbage seedlings.
* Weed, weed, weed! Don’t let unwanted plants go to seed.
* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.
* Feed citrus trees with a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants.
* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.
* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.
* Start thinning fruit that's formed on apple and stone fruit trees -- you'll get larger fruit at harvest (and avoid limb breakage) if some is thinned now. The UC recommendation is to thin fruit when it is about 3/4 of an inch in diameter. Peaches and nectarines should be thinned to about 6 inches apart; smaller fruit such as plums and pluots can be about 4 inches apart. Apricots can be left at 3 inches apart. Apples and pears should be thinned to one fruit per cluster of flowers, 6 to 8 inches apart.
* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.
* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.
* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.
* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.
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