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Got extra plants, seeds or tools? Swap them for more

Solano master gardeners host plant exchange (with wildflower bonus); more garden tours this weekend

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED APR 24, 2026

This is California Native Plant Week, the perfect time to add California poppies to the garden. During Saturday's plant swap with the Solano master gardeners, create a free "wildflower seed orb" -- a fun way to sow poppy seeds. Kathy Morrison

Do you have more plants than room to plant them? What about extra tools? Or excess seeds?

Here’s your opportunity to share your bounty with other gardeners – and take home other things you can use.

Saturday, April 25, the UC Master Gardeners of Solano County will host a “Spring Plant Exchange,” a free swap shop for gardeners throughout the greater Sacramento area. From 9 a.m. to noon, gardeners can exchange their extras for other plants and more. This free event will be held at the first floor of Solano County office building, 501 Texas St., Fairfield.

“Bring plants, seeds, cuttings and bulbs or gardening items to share,” say the master gardeners. “Bring home some new things to grow. Free to all!”

Wait, there’s more! During that plant exchange, gardeners of all ages can make their own “Wildflower Seed Orb” – a compact nugget packed with California native plant seeds including golden poppies and other favorites. Kids are invited to make seed orbs, too, during this crafty gardening activity. Once again, it’s free.

“Toss it and watch the flowers grow!” say the master gardeners. “Fun for the whole family!” Details: https://ucanr.edu/site/uc-master-gardeners-solano-county

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So many end-of-April events! We don't want to forget the Folsom Garden Club's 24th Annual Gardens of Folsom tour, happening 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26. Six beautiful gardens, plus a bonus garden, will be open for the self-guided tour.

Tickets are $25 and can be ordered online at https://folsomgarden.org/garden-tour/ They also can be purchased the days of the tour at Garden #1, 255 Cascade Falls Drive, Folsom, while supplies last.

During the tour times, a plant sale will be held at the historic Murer House, 1125 Joe Murer Court, Folsom. An always-popular bake sale, plus food trucks, an on-site raffle and local artists in the gardens are also part of the event. Garden experts will be on site to answer questions, too.

This event is a fundraiser for the club's scholarships, grants and community programs.

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An article about gardening.

Keywords:

plants plant exchange seeds bulbs cuttings UC master gardeners Solano County tools weekend event April spring Sacramento gardening

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Garden checklist for week of May 17

With an eye on warmer weather to come, continue to work on the summer vegetable garden:

* Remember to irrigate your tender transplants. The wind can quickly dry out young plants. Seedlings need consistent moisture. Deep watering will help build strong roots and healthy plants. Water early in the morning for best results.

* Plant, plant, plant! It’s prime planting season in the Sacramento area. Time to set out those tomato transplants along with peppers and eggplants. Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.

* Direct-seed melons, cucumbers, summer squash, corn, radishes, pumpkins and annual herbs such as basil.

* Harvest lettuce, peas and green onions.

* In the flower garden, direct-seed sunflowers, cosmos, salvia, zinnias, marigolds, celosia and asters. (You also can transplant seedlings for many of the same flowers.)

* Plant dahlia tubers.

* Transplant petunias, marigolds and perennial flowers such as astilbe, calibrachoa, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, rudbeckia and verbena.

* Keep an eye out for slugs, snails, earwigs and aphids that want to dine on tender new growth.

* Feed summer bloomers with a balanced fertilizer.

* For continued bloom, cut off spent flowers on roses as well as other flowering plants.

* Put your veggie garden on a regular diet. Set up a monthly feeding program, and keep track on your calendar. Make sure to water your garden before applying any fertilizer to prevent “burning” your plants.

* As spring-flowering shrubs finish blooming, give them a little pruning to shape them, removing old and dead wood. Lightly trim azaleas, fuchsias and marguerites for bushier plants.

* Don’t forget to weed! Those invaders are growing fast.

Send us a gardening question, a post suggestion or information about an upcoming event. sacdigsgardening@gmail.com

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