Bearded irises are a perfect addition to water-wise Sacramento gardens
Here’s a wonderful opportunity to add a rainbow of color to your water-wise garden: The annual iris rhizome sale.
Saturday and Sunday, July 15 and 16, the Sacramento Iris Society will host its annual rhizome sale at Shepard Garden and Arts Center. These are newly dug rhizomes – fresh from the ground, divided, trimmed and ready to replant.
Mid to late summer is perfect for planting bearded iris rhizomes, so this sale’s timing could not be better – even with triple-digit temperatures forecast for this weekend. (Shepard Center is air conditioned.)Shop early for best selection; sale hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Admission and parking are free.
Hundreds of varieties will be available. According to the society, each specimen will be labeled with the cultivar name and a description of the flower appearance.
Besides the traditional spring bloomers, find a large selection of “rebloomers” that extend iris season into summer and fall. Get advice on how to plant rhizomes and year-round iris care.
Why plant irises? Besides the beautiful flowers, they’re an ideal choice for Sacramento and foothill gardens. Bearded iris are both deer and drought resistant; they can coexist with wildlife and need little summer irrigation.
Shepard Center is located at 3330 McKinley Blvd., Sacramento, in McKinley Park.
Details and directions: www.sgaac.org.
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Garden Checklist for week of April 21
This week there’s plenty to keep gardeners busy. With no rain in the immediate forecast, remember to irrigate any new transplants.
* Weed, weed, weed! Get them before they flower and go to seed.
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* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.
* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.
* Spring brings a flush of rapid growth, and that means your garden is really hungry. Feed shrubs and trees with a slow-release fertilizer. Or mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost.
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* 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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* Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.
* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom.
* Mid to late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.
* Transplant lettuce seedlings. Choose varieties that mature quickly such as loose leaf.
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