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Learn keys to gardening success with native plants

El Dorado County master gardeners offer free workshop

This native California poppy isn't even completely open and already five little pollinators -- tripartite sweat bees -- are working hard inside, gathering pollen. Native plants attract native wildlife.

This native California poppy isn't even completely open and already five little pollinators -- tripartite sweat bees -- are working hard inside, gathering pollen. Native plants attract native wildlife.

Kathy Morrison

Fall is the perfect time to add more native plants to your landscape. But which ones? And what can you do to help them thrive?
Learn how during a free workshop offered at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 26, by the UCCE Master Gardeners of El Dorado County at the Sherwood Demonstration Garden.

Led by Alice Cantelow, “Successful Gardening with Native Plants” will cover the basics of embracing water-wise natives while also supporting wildlife. Sherwood’s native plant garden is full of examples of easy-care perennials and shrubs that thrive in the Sierra foothills and Sacramento area.

“Do you love wildlife, pollinators, and birds, and would like to enjoy their activities in your landscape?” reads the class description. “Are you ready to lower your water bill, and spend less on fertilizers and pesticides as well? Alice Cantelow will teach you how to choose and add colorful, easy-care native plants to your garden.”

That’s a lot to cover, so it will be a full morning; the workshop runs from 9 a.m. to noon. Bring water and dress appropriately. No advance registration is necessary.

That same Saturday morning, Sherwood will be open for visitors during an Open Garden Day. During a workshop break, take a peek at its 16 themed gardens and get expert advice from master gardeners.

Sherwood Demonstration Garden is located at 6699 Campus Drive, Placerville.

Details and directions: https://mgeldorado.ucanr.edu/.

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Dig In: Garden Checklist

For week of Sept. 24:

This week our weather will be just right for fall gardening. What are you waiting for?

* Now is the time to plant for fall. The warm soil will get these veggies off to a fast start.

* Keep harvesting tomatoes, peppers, squash, melons and eggplant. Tomatoes may ripen faster off the vine and sitting on the kitchen counter.

* Compost annuals and vegetable crops that have finished producing.

* Cultivate and add compost to the soil to replenish its nutrients for fall and winter vegetables and flowers.

* Fertilize deciduous fruit trees.

* Plant onions, lettuce, peas, radishes, turnips, beets, carrots, bok choy, spinach and potatoes directly into the vegetable beds.

* Transplant cabbage, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower as well as lettuce seedlings.

* Sow seeds of California poppies, clarkia and African daisies.

* Transplant cool-weather annuals such as pansies, violas, fairy primroses, calendulas, stocks and snapdragons.

* Divide and replant bulbs, rhizomes and perennials. That includes bearded iris; if they haven’t bloomed in three years, it’s time to dig them up and divide their rhizomes.

* Dig up and divide daylilies as they complete their bloom cycle.

* Divide and transplant peonies that have become overcrowded. Replant with “eyes” about an inch below the soil surface.

* Late September is ideal for sowing a new lawn or re-seeding bare spots.

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