Recipe: Make bourbon apple butter for extra flavorful filling
More heavy rain is on the way; watch out for gusty winds
After heart surgery, popular garden expert changed his life with homegrown vegetables, fruit
Enjoy winter fruit and vegetables with these home-grown recipes
Control district sees spike in calls -- but winter storms this week will bring relief
Beat the winter blahs with cool-season aahs!
Green Acres offers free seed-starting workshop at all seven locations
Huge three-day show features designer landscapes and free seminars
Hearty winter warmer also is gluten-free
January ends with a touch of spring, but more rain on the way
Warm days and early blooms belie true weather conditions
Sign up for a free winter ramble Sunday near Davis
In-street pick-up service wraps up for another winter
California Rare Fruit Growers host popular event Feb. 4
Citrus Heights location offers three workshops, curated collection and expert advice
Recipe: Pantry ingredients add up to a filling meal
Get comfy indoors during very rainy days to come.
Sacramento expects 2.3 inches of rain (or more) in the next three days
These slimy pests are particularly active after rain
Share seeds with other gardeners and bring home some for your own garden, too
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
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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.
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