'Mulch Mayhem' returns to Sacramento, Placer counties
Sacramento group hosts huge show and sale at Shepard Center
NEW Strawberry quick bread with walnuts
After several summer-like days, cooler weather returns
Find spring inspiration at these special weekend events
The free tour includes 26 gardens from Folsom to Woodland
Hundreds of water-wise selections available; see them in bloom
Spectacular tropical showcase set for Wyndham Hotel this weekend
See hundreds in bloom and learn more about roses
NEW! Roasting the fruit concentrates flavors
Spring warm-up means one thing: Time to plant tomatoes
Find hundreds of annuals, vegetables and more, including some big bargains
Test your knowledge with a quick quiz
After five-year hiatus, popular event features five historic homes
Placer County master gardeners mark anniversary with workshops, speakers
Enjoy unique private Sacramento gardens plus plant and garden art sales
NEW Orange-raisin sour cream scones with orange-vanilla glaze
Warmer days are enticing for tomato planting
April puts spotlight on America's growing pastime
Weekend events range from Natomas to Orangevale to Placerville
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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 24
In between rainy episodes this week:
* Keep your gutters and storm drains cleared. Watch out for leaning trees or weakened branches; if you spot trouble, call an arborist.
* Remember to turn off the sprinklers or other irrigation. Be careful walking on or working with wet soil; it can compact easily.
* On rainy days, do some indoor gardening. Tend to houseplants. Sort seed packets. Start seed indoors for cool-season veggies and flowers.
* 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.
* Rake and compost leaves, but leave at least some healthy leaves in planting beds for nesting insects and foraging birds. But dispose of any diseased plant material. For eample, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.
* If you decide to use a living Christmas tree this year, keep it outside in a sunny location until Christmas week. This reduces stress on the young tree.
* 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 such as California poppies and plant spring bloomers such as as sweet peas, 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.
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