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. Kathy Morrison
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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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.
* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.
* Smell orange blossoms? Feed citrus trees with a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants.
* 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.
* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.
* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.
* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.
* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.
* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, radishes and squash.
* Plant onion sets.
* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias.
* 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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