Placer County master gardeners offer free workshop on straw-bale gardening
American Rose Society offers free webinar on flower photography
Milestone event to be at new location: Scottish Rite Center
Recipe: Easy asparagus-mushroom bake with eggs and cheese.
Enjoy a glimpse of spring before more rain arrives
How to tackle fungal outbreaks on roses without spraying
Placer County master gardeners present workshop Saturday
February has been very wet; warmer (and dry) weather is on its way
Registration is open for more neighborhood tree plantings in March and April; families welcome.
Sacramento Speakers Series supports scholarships for future farmers and more
Recipe: Bake them in ramekins for easy serving now or later
Rain will dampen gardening plans, keep soil wet
Feb. 24 event includes blossom show, tours and speaker Greg Gayton
Save these dates for great finds at great prices
Roses are more popular than ever, but what do they mean?
Wild Boar Farms breeder will be at Green Acres in Auburn and Sacramento
Volunteer birdwatchers of all ages can take part in four-day census
Recipe: Brussels sprouts-spinach slaw with dried cranberries
Super weather for late-winter gardening on tap
Trees got a good, deep soaking from recent 'atmospheric rivers'
Sacramento Digs Gardening to your inbox.
Sites We Like
Garden Checklist for week of May 19
Temperatures will be a bit higher than normal in the afternoons this week. Take care of chores early in the day – then enjoy the afternoon. It’s time to smell the roses.
* Plant, plant, plant! It’s prime planting season in the Sacramento area. If you haven’t already, it’s 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 cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.
* In the flower garden, direct-seed sunflowers, cosmos, salvia, zinnias, marigolds, celosia and asters.
* 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.
* Add mulch to the garden to help keep that precious water from evaporating. Mulch also cuts down on weeds. But don’t let it mound around the stems or trunks of trees or shrubs. Leave about a 6-inch to 1-foot circle to avoid crown rot or other problems.