Learn about planting garlic -- and preserving it, too
Garlic planting time is coming up quickly. Garlic is an important member of the allium family, which also includes onions, shallots, leeks and chives. Kathy Morrison
Growing your own food and then cooking it can be thrill for a beginning gardener. But even folks experienced in edible gardening are likely to learn something fun in an upcoming combo class on alliums -- garlic, onions, shallots and other plant relatives.
"Garlic, Shallots and More" will be offered 9 a.m. to noon this Saturday, Sept. 16, by the UCCE El Dorado County master gardeners and master food preservers.
Here's how they explain it: "The master gardeners will discuss how to successfully select, grow, and harvest onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, scallions and chives. Information covered will include soil preparation, fertilizer requirements, pest management and water needs.
"The master food preservers will discuss safe preserving methods for your harvest. Additionally, you will go home with fantastic recipes, tips and tricks for your alliums."
The class will be held at the Sherwood Demonstration Garden, 6699 Campus Drive in Placerville. It is free, but the organizers ask that interested folks register ahead here.
The El Dorado master gardeners have two other classes on Saturdays this month: Greenhouse Gardening on Sept. 23 and Shade Gardening on Sept. 30. Each is 3 hours long, 9 a.m. to noon. For more information on these and other events, go to the calendar on their website, https://mgeldorado.ucanr.edu/Calendar/
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Garden Checklist for week of Feb. 2
During this stormy week, let the rain soak in while making plans for all the things you’re going to plant soon:
* During rainy weather, turn off the sprinklers. After a good soaking from winter storms, lawns can go at least a week without sprinklers, according to irrigation experts. For an average California home, that week off from watering can save 800 gallons.
* February serves as a wake-up call to gardeners. This month, you can transplant or direct-seed several flowers, including snapdragon, candytuft, lilies, astilbe, larkspur, Shasta and painted daisies, stocks, bleeding heart and coral bells.
* In the vegetable garden, plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers, and strawberry and rhubarb roots.
* Transplant cabbage and its close cousins – broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts – as well as lettuce (both loose leaf and head).
* Indoors, start peppers, tomatoes and eggplant from seed.
* Plant artichokes, asparagus and horseradish from root divisions.
* Plant potatoes from tubers and onions from sets (small bulbs). The onions will sprout quickly and can be used as green onions in March.
* From seed, plant beets, chard, lettuce, mustard, peas, radishes and turnips.
* Annuals are showing up in nurseries, but wait until the weather warms up a bit before planting. Instead, set out flowering perennials such as columbine and delphinium.
* Plant summer-flowering bulbs including cannas, calla lilies and gladiolus.