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Fri, Mar 29, 2024

Best time to take rose cuttings? How to make a new bush

Master rosarian shares tips with Farmer Fred on spring rose care basics, propagation

Thu, Mar 28, 2024

Spring offers a packed calendar of area garden tours

Gardens' best finery on display in fundraisers and free events

Wed, Mar 27, 2024

Private 3-acre English-style garden open May 4 for tour, tea

Stories on Stage Davis hosts special event with literary, gardening flair

Tue, Mar 26, 2024

Learn how to start vegetables, flowers from seed

El Dorado County master gardeners offer free workshop

Mon, Mar 25, 2024

New Placer demonstration garden opening soon

Master gardeners to unveil water-wise showcase at Loomis Library

Sun, Mar 24, 2024

This easy chicken dish puts zesty zing in spring

NEW Baked lemon-Dijon chicken thighs with herbs

Sat, Mar 23, 2024

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of March 24

Spring gets off to rainy start, keeps temperatures cool

Fri, Mar 22, 2024

Happy World Water Day! Every drop counts

Global initiative leads to local landscapes and ways to save

Thu, Mar 21, 2024

Weekend gardening workshops make up for rainy conditions

Elk Grove, Orangevale each host information events

Wed, Mar 20, 2024

Free workshop shows how to grow, use culinary herbs

El Dorado County master gardeners spotlight these flavorful plants from garden to gourmet

Tue, Mar 19, 2024

First day of spring is cause for celebration

Plenty of sunshine and flowers welcome start of new season

Mon, Mar 18, 2024

These hardy orchids thrive outdoors in Sacramento

Sacramento Valley Cymbidium Society hosts annual show and sale

Sun, Mar 17, 2024

Crispy potatoes deserve Green Goddess dressing

NEW Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with this delicious side dish

Sat, Mar 16, 2024

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of March 17

Make the most of warm weather; tackle weeds and other spring chores.

Fri, Mar 15, 2024

Is it too early to plant tomatoes?

Wait until April before putting tender summer transplants in the ground

Thu, Mar 14, 2024

Celebrate green Sunday in a native plant garden

Patricia Carpenter opens her property for the Early Spring Ramble

Wed, Mar 13, 2024

Sacramento Home & Garden Show returns to Cal Expo

Find three days of inspiration, vendors and deals

Tue, Mar 12, 2024

Get growing with expert advice at Saturday's Open Garden

Preparing for spring and summer, Sacramento County master gardeners host free event

Mon, Mar 11, 2024

Shepard Center hosts big Spring Sale, plus tree planting

Clubs to offer their expertise, plants and wares; volunteers needed for McKinley Park beautification event

Sun, Mar 10, 2024

Old-fashioned chili – warm taste of summer on a chilly night

Recipe: Mom’s chili and beans with grated cheese and onions

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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 Nov. 24

In between rainy episodes this week:

* Keep your gutters and storm drains cleared. Watch out for leaning trees or weakened branches; if you spot trouble, call an arborist.

* Remember to turn off the sprinklers or other irrigation. Be careful walking on or working with wet soil; it can compact easily.

* On rainy days, do some indoor gardening. Tend to houseplants. Sort seed packets. Start seed indoors for cool-season veggies and flowers.

* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.

* Rake and compost leaves, but leave at least some healthy leaves in planting beds for nesting insects and foraging birds. But dispose of any diseased plant material. For eample, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.

* If you decide to use a living Christmas tree this year, keep it outside in a sunny location until Christmas week. This reduces stress on the young tree.

* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.

* After they bloom, chrysanthemums should be trimmed to 6 to 8 inches above the ground. If in pots, keep the mums in their containers until next spring. Then they can be planted in the ground, if desired, or repotted.

* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.

* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.

* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers such as California poppies and plant spring bloomers such as as sweet peas, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.

* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.

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

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

* Plant garlic and onions.

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!