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Image caption: These Washington navel oranges are very close to ripe. Taste one if you're not sure -- but it's best not to pick them all at once.

Featured: Pick oranges now or wait? Here's how to know

Taste-test the fruit -- every year can be slightly different

Wed, Dec 25, 2024

Recycle your Christmas tree into a garden gift

Where to mulch your tree for free in Sacramento and Yolo counties

Tue, Dec 24, 2024

Volunteers needed for Sacramento's most romantic spot

Learn pruning while helping McKinley Park rose garden at two January events

Mon, Dec 23, 2024

How to care for moth orchids

Popular gift plant is easy to love (remember to add ice)

Sun, Dec 22, 2024

Put a lemony, seasonal twist on red and green coleslaw

New! Brussels sprouts-apple slaw with pomegranate, pistachios and Meyer lemon dressing

Sat, Dec 21, 2024

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Dec. 22

Expect a very wet Christmas week; make most of breaks between storms

Fri, Dec 20, 2024

Volunteers needed for UC Davis Arboretum

Sign up now to help world-famous public gardens, learn new skills

Thu, Dec 19, 2024

Need a last-minute gardening gift?

Calendars, clothes pins and memberships are top suggestions

Wed, Dec 18, 2024

Sacramento rain adds up to healthy totals

Downtown has received more than 18 inches so far in 2024 -- with more on the way

Tue, Dec 17, 2024

How to combat ants when they come indoors

Skip pesticides and grab a soapy sponge (and caulk)

Mon, Dec 16, 2024

How to cope with soggy soil

Wet weather can cause issues for gardeners with water-logged landscapes

Sun, Dec 15, 2024

Pomegranate jelly-filled cookies show off seasonal red

Classic! These thumbprints are a twist on a traditional favorite

Sat, Dec 14, 2024

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Dec. 15

Clean up after the latest deluge – there's more rain on the way

Fri, Dec 13, 2024

Learn about terrariums, felting at The Secret Garden

Elk Grove garden store offers several creative classes

Thu, Dec 12, 2024

Everything starts with soil health

Winter is ideal for planning to improve what's underfoot

Wed, Dec 11, 2024

Pink poinsettias prove pretty popular

No matter the color, how to help your Christmas plants look their best

Tue, Dec 10, 2024

Can I prune my roses now?

Tips for winter rose care start with sharp shears

Mon, Dec 09, 2024

A Tony Hawk oak? Tree planting at skatepark comes with a twist

Sacramento Tree Foundation welcomes volunteers of all ages for Folsom event

Sun, Dec 08, 2024

Give yellow limes a try in crinkle cookies

New! When ripe, the fruit is more juicy, floral than tart

Sat, Dec 07, 2024

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Dec. 8

Rain is coming back to Sacramento – but when?

Fri, Dec 06, 2024

High-Hand Holiday Celebration features thousands of lights

Nursery, cafe, brewery and historic fruit shed in Loomis are open late three nights a week

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Taste Fall! E-cookbook

Muffins and pumpkin

Find our fall recipes here!

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Garden Checklist for week of Dec. 22

* Between showers this week, check on your garden’s welfare. Clean up fallen branches and other debris. Don’t let water pool near foundations.

* When working (or just walking) in the garden, be careful of soggy ground; it can compact easily. Soggy soil also will rot newly planted bulbs. Wait until the soil is moist but not dripping wet.

* Rake leaves away from storm drains and gutters. Recycle those leaves as mulch or add to compost.

* Brighten the holidays with winter bloomers such as poinsettias, amaryllis and cyclamen indoors, and Iceland poppies, calendulas, pansies and primroses outdoors.

* Keep poinsettias in a sunny, warm location; bring them inside at night or if there’s rain. (They don’t like cold, wet weather.)

* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while they’re dormant.

* Clean and sharpen garden tools before storing for the winter.

* Rake and remove dead leaves and stems from dormant perennials.

* Seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.

* Once soil dries out a little, trees and shrubs can be planted now, especially bare-root varieties such as fruit trees or rose bushes. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from winter rains.

* Plant bare-root berries, kiwifruit, grapes, artichokes, horseradish and rhubarb.

* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.

* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.

Taste Spring! E-cookbook

Strawberries

Find our spring recipes here!

Taste Summer! E-cookbook

square-tomatoes-plate.jpg

Find our summer recipes here!

Taste Winter! E-cookbook

Lemon coconut pancakes

Find our winter recipes here!