Sign up for a free winter ramble Sunday near Davis
The 2023 Winter Ramble was soggy but there was plenty for close observers to see in Patricia Carpenter's native plant garden. Kathy Morrison
Winter gardens are subtle but satisfying for plant lovers. The changes and activity require closer observation than other times of the year.
Patricia Carpenter, a California Native Plant Society Garden Ambassador, gives the region's garden fans a chance to enjoy those views this Sunday, Jan. 28. She'll open her secluded 1-acre native plant garden west of Davis from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday for a Winter Ramble.
The garden, on the west side of Pierce Ranch Road south of Russell Boulevard, will be open rain or shine for self-guided tours; visitors can start any time during those hours. Maps will be available for use on site.
Admission is free but registration is required. Register here.
Here's what Carpenter describes as the highlights of the winter garden:
An optional short orientation and Q&A gathering with her will be held at noon and 2 p.m. Meet at the check-in table.
Visitors are welcome to bring a lunch or snack to enjoy on site. Please leave dogs at home. Carpenter suggests wearing sturdy shoes; any footwear that can handle mud is a good idea this time of year. A composting toilet is available on site as well.
Read more about Carpenter's garden and access a map at her CNPS profile page. Her non-native garden also will be open for strolling Sunday.
For anyone wishing to start or add to their own native plant garden, Miridae Mobile Plant Nursery's truck will be at the garden entrance for sales. Check the current inventory here.
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Garden Checklist for week of April 21
This week there’s plenty to keep gardeners busy. With no rain in the immediate forecast, remember to irrigate any new transplants.
* Weed, weed, weed! Get them before they flower and go to seed.
* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.
* Smell orange blossoms? Feed citrus trees with a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants.
* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.
* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.
* Spring brings a flush of rapid growth, and that means your garden is really hungry. Feed shrubs and trees with a slow-release fertilizer. Or mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost.
* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.
* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.
* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.
* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.
* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, radishes and squash.
* Plant onion sets.
* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias.
* Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.
* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom.
* Mid to late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.
* Transplant lettuce seedlings. Choose varieties that mature quickly such as loose leaf.
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