Sacramento County master gardeners hold Open Garden Day
View the lavender plants in bloom and learn about herbal aromas as part of a busy Open Garden Day this Saturday, May 9, at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center. Kathy Morrison
Thunderstorms, strong winds and a 30-degree swing in temperature; what could go wrong? When it comes to edible gardening, a lot!
Fortunately, Sacramento-area gardeners have a fantastic resource available to answer all sorts of questions during this spring’s weird, wacky weather: the UC Master Gardener Program.
This Saturday, May 9, the Sacramento County master gardeners will be out in force during their monthly Open Garden Day at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center. It’s an opportunity for the public to watch and learn from the master gardeners working in their demonstration gardens.
“In this informal event, master gardeners will be available on site from 9 a.m. to noon, rain or shine,” say the hosts. “Bring samples of your problem plants, bagged insects and questions to the ‘Ask the Master Gardeners’ information table. Get one-on-one advice based on the most recent research-based sustainable practices.”
Master gardeners will be stationed throughout FOHC, demonstrating various and timely tasks such as thinning fruit in the orchard or tending to new tomato plants. Visit the compost area to see how the master gardeners recycle clippings into garden gold. Other featured sections include grapes, berries and herbs.
Three mini talks are scheduled during the morning:
-- 9:45 a.m. "The Flavor Garden: Understanding Herbal Aromas." In the Lower Arbor.
-- 10:30 a.m. "COMPOST! Feed the Soil That Feeds Us." Upper Arbor.
-- 11:15 a.m. "Preparing Your Garden for Heat." Lower Arbor
Also, don’t miss the WEL (water-efficient landscape) display garden with many low-water natives now in bloom and buzzing with pollinator activity.
Plan on arriving early; Saturday is going to get hot. Saturday’s forecast calls for highs in the low 90s as temperatures spike. (How will that impact your newly transplanted veggies? Ask the master gardeners!) Dress in layers and wear a hat and sunscreen.
The Fair Oaks Horticulture Center is located at 11549 Fair Oaks Blvd., Fair Oaks, south of Madison Avenue and Fair Oaks Park. Admission and parking are free. No pets, please.
Details and directions: https://ucanr.edu/site/uc-master-gardeners-sacramento-county
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Flowers in My Back Yard Series
April 28: Majestic Matilija poppy is worth a look
April 21: Celebrate roses, America's favorite flower
April 14: Small flowers with outsized impact
April 7: Calendulas do double duty
April 3: Make Easter lilies last for years to come
March 31: In praise of a pollinator magnet (small-leaf salvias)
March 24: Azaleas brighten shady spots
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March 10: Keep camellias happy for years to come
March 3: Fruit tree blossoms are a fleeting joy
Feb. 27: Are your roses looking rusty?
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Garden checklist for week of May 3
Make the most of pleasant spring weather – and get to work.
* 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. Other perennials to set out include verbena, coreopsis, coneflower and astilbe.
* Transplant petunias, marigolds and perennial flowers such as astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, 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.
* Don’t forget to water. Seedlings need moisture. Deep watering will help build strong roots and healthy 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.
Contact Us
Send us a gardening question, a post suggestion or information about an upcoming event. sacdigsgardening@gmail.com
Food in My Back Yard (FIMBY) Series
Lessons learned during a year of edible gardening
WINTER
Is edible gardening possible indoors?
Hints for choosing tomato seeds
Why winter is the perfect time to plant fruit trees
When to plant? Consider staggering your transplants
How to squeeze more food into less space
Plant a fruit tree now -- for later
Win the weed war by tackling them in winter
Tips for planting bare-root trees, shrubs and vegetables
Time to give vegetable seedlings some more space
Ways to win the fight against weeds
FALL
Dec. 16: Add asparagus to your edible garden
Dec. 9: Soggy soil and what to do about it
Dec. 2: Plant artichokes now; enjoy for years to come
Nov. 25: It's late November, and your peach tree needs spraying
Nov. 18: What to do with all those fallen leaves?
Nov. 11: Prepare now for colder weather in the edible garden
Nov. 4: Plant a pea patch for you and your garden
Oct. 27: As citrus season begins, advice for backyard growers
Oct. 20: Change is in the autumn air
Oct. 13: We don't talk (enough) about beets
Oct. 6: Fava beans do double duty
Sept. 30: Seeds or transplants for cool-season veggies?
Sept. 23: How to prolong the fall tomato harvest
SUMMER
Sept. 16: Time to shut it down?
Sept. 9: How to get the most out of your pumpkin patch
Sept. 2: Summer-to-fall transition time for evaluation, planning
Aug. 26: To pick or not to pick those tomatoes?
Aug. 19: Put worms to work for you
Aug. 12: Grow food while saving water
Aug. 5: Enhance your food with edible flowers
July 29: Why won't my tomatoes turn red?
July 22: A squash plant has mosaic virus, and it's not pretty
July 15: Does this plant need water?
July 8: Tear out that sad plant or baby it? Midsummer decisions
July 1: How to grow summer salad greens
June 24: Weird stuff that's perfectly normal
SPRING
June 17: Help pollinators help your garden
June 10: Battling early-season tomato pests
June 3: Make your own compost
May 27: Where are the bees when you need them?
May 20: How to help tomatoes thrive on hot days
May 13: Your plants can tell you more than any calendar can
May 6: Maintain soil moisture with mulch for garden success
April 29: What's (already) wrong with my tomato plants?
April 22: Should you stock up on fertilizer? (Yes!)
April 15: Grow culinary herbs in containers
April 8: When to plant summer vegetables
April 1: Don't be fooled by these garden myths
March 25: Fertilizer tips: How to 'feed' your vegetables for healthy growth
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