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Image caption: For successful orchard crops, fruit trees must be selectively thinned and carefully pruned.

Featured: Learn how to manage summer fruit trees for a better crop

Soil Born offers hands-on workshop in its American River Ranch orchard

Tue, Jun 06, 2023

California's favorite flower? We're 'All About Lavender'

Free workshop covers how to grow, harvest and use this popular herb

Mon, Jun 05, 2023

McKinley Park trees about to get 'yarn bombed'

Sacramento Center for Textile Arts celebrates International Yarn Bombing Day

Sun, Jun 04, 2023

Enjoy fresh apricots in an easy appetizer

Recipe: No cooking involved in this seasonal creation

Sat, Jun 03, 2023

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of June 4

With more coolish weather ahead, there's still time to plant for summer

Fri, Jun 02, 2023

Zoom in on the Kitchen Garden: Tomatoes, pests and more

Yolo master gardeners present an online and in-person chat Saturday

Thu, Jun 01, 2023

Thank you to our readers; Sacramento Digs Gardening celebrates 5 years

That's 1,825 posts and counting -- all related to local gardening

Wed, May 31, 2023

Welcome to an 'Hour' of weddings, roses

SDG's Debbie Arrington among experts at Fair Oaks event

Tue, May 30, 2023

'America's Best Gardens' tour includes two in Placer County

See Poswalls' Springhill near Lincoln and a hidden Newcastle oasis

Mon, May 29, 2023

Murer House celebrates Lavender Day in Folsom

Learn how to grow, enjoy this favorite flowering herb

Sun, May 28, 2023

Make a small batch of easy, lemony strawberry preserves

Recipe: Sunny strawberry-Meyer lemon preserves without added pectin

Sat, May 27, 2023

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of May 28

Make most of mild Memorial Day weekend weather

Fri, May 26, 2023

It's not too late to plant tomatoes (and more)

How to make the most now of our unusual spring combination

Thu, May 25, 2023

Sacramento County organic waste program yields 'black gold'

Free compost available to residents in pilot recycling program

Wed, May 24, 2023

The Secret Garden hosts Succulent Extravaganza

Huge sale and educational event set for Memorial Day weekend in Elk Grove

Mon, May 22, 2023

To save your fruit tree, bravely thin your tree fruit

Too much of a good thing can break tree branches in summer

Sun, May 21, 2023

Bake a puffy cherry-berry pancake

Ricotta and lemon zest give brunch dish some tang

Sat, May 20, 2023

Dig In: Garden checklist for week of May 21

Warm weather brings rapid snow melt – and cold water

Fri, May 19, 2023

Master gardeners host Open Garden Days in two locations

Get advice from experts in Sacramento and El Dorado counties

Thu, May 18, 2023

Take a late-spring ramble through a garden of native plants

Event near Davis is free but requires registration

Taste Spring! E-cookbook

Strawberries

Find our spring recipes here!

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Dig In: Garden Checklist

For week of June 4:

Because of the comfortable weather, it’s not too late to set out tomato and pepper seedlings as well as squash and melon plants. They’ll appreciate this not-too-hot weather. Just remember to water.

* From seed, plant corn, pumpkins, radishes, melons, squash and sunflowers.

* Plant basil to go with your tomatoes.

* Transplant summer annuals such as petunias, marigolds and zinnias.

* It’s also a good time to transplant perennial flowers including astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia, salvia and verbena.

* Let the grass grow longer. Set the mower blades high to reduce stress on your lawn during summer heat. To cut down on evaporation, water your lawn deeply during the wee hours of the morning, between 2 and 8 a.m.

* Tie up vines and stake tall plants such as gladiolus and lilies. That gives their heavy flowers some support.

* Dig and divide crowded bulbs after the tops have died down.

* Feed summer flowers with a slow-release fertilizer.

* Mulch, mulch, mulch! This “blanket” keeps moisture in the soil longer and helps your plants cope during hot weather.

* Thin grapes on the vine for bigger, better clusters later this summer.

* Cut back fruit-bearing canes on berries.

* Feed camellias, azaleas and other acid-loving plants.

* Trim off dead flowers from rose bushes to keep them blooming through the summer. Roses also benefit from deep watering and feeding now. A top dressing of aged compost will keep them happy. It feeds as well as keeps roots moist.

* Pinch back chrysanthemums for bushier plants with many more flowers in September.

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