Berries from this parasitic plant (and popular holiday decoration) feed hungry songbirds in winter
The gardening year gets off to a fast start
Watch out for leaning trees and cracked soil
City of Sacramento plans several Saturday pruning sessions in January and February
This succulent makes a great gift and can rebloom for many years to come
Recipe: Roasting squash increases the depth of flavor
Sacramento forecast calls for three days of steady rain
Temperature changes affect stone fruit and other crops
Easily found and budget-friendly items for gardeners
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Roseville offers two-month course designed for home gardeners; sign up now
Popular holiday plant comes in wide range of hues including several shades of pink
Recipe: Sweet potato latkes, served with applesauce and sour cream
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Green Acres offers ornament-themed container gardening workshop Dec. 16
Celebrate and support the amazing structure underfoot
Shop for unique gifts at this destination nursery (and much more)
American River Ranch hosts Saturday walks, workshop, produce stand and gift shop
The Secret Garden hosts hands-on mosaic classes in December and January
Recipe: Zest and herb combination also works in muffins
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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 3
November still offers good weather for fall planting:
* If you haven't already, it's time to clean up the remains of summer. Pull faded annuals and vegetables. Prune dead or broken branches from trees.
* 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.
* 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 and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.
* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.
* 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.
* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.
* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.
* To help prevent leaf curl, apply a copper fungicide spray to peach and nectarine trees after they lose their leaves this month. Leaf curl, which shows up in the spring, is caused by a fungus that winters as spores on the limbs and around the tree in fallen leaves. Sprays are most effective now.