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General Gardening Articles

Mon, Jan 29, 2024

NorCal Home & Landscape Expo returns to Cal Expo

Huge three-day show features designer landscapes and free seminars

Fri, Jan 26, 2024

Is Sacramento headed for an early spring?

Warm days and early blooms belie true weather conditions

Thu, Jan 25, 2024

Enjoy the subtle sights of a native plant garden in winter

Sign up for a free winter ramble Sunday near Davis

Wed, Jan 24, 2024

The Claw season ends Monday in Sacramento

In-street pick-up service wraps up for another winter

Tue, Jan 23, 2024

Expand your backyard orchard at Scion Exchange

California Rare Fruit Growers host popular event Feb. 4

Mon, Jan 22, 2024

Green Acres hosts 'Extraordinary Houseplant Event'

Citrus Heights location offers three workshops, curated collection and expert advice

Fri, Jan 19, 2024

Get your garden ready for atmospheric rivers

Sacramento expects 2.3 inches of rain (or more) in the next three days

Thu, Jan 18, 2024

How to fight snails and slugs before they eat everything

These slimy pests are particularly active after rain

Wed, Jan 17, 2024

Celebrate National Seed Swap Day in Fair Oaks

Share seeds with other gardeners and bring home some for your own garden, too

Tue, Jan 16, 2024

Where do plant lovers hang out in Sacramento? Try the Shepard Center

Garden clubs meet at the McKinley Park site -- arts groups, too

Mon, Jan 15, 2024

Join Sacramento master gardeners Saturday for Open Garden

Get answers to garden questions while watching experts at work

Fri, Jan 12, 2024

McKinley Park rose garden needs volunteers

More pruning events set for Saturdays throughout January

Thu, Jan 11, 2024

More rain is coming soon -- how's the garden holding up?

Some trouble spots to look for before Saturday's storm

Wed, Jan 10, 2024

Learn how to tell good bugs from bad pests

Yolo County master gardeners offer free Zoom workshop on insect, disease identification

Tue, Jan 09, 2024

Happy National Houseplant Appreciation Day!

Time to show your indoor garden some love

Mon, Jan 08, 2024

Want roses? Grab your shovel; it’s time to dig in!

Rose society offers advice on transplanting -- and digging up – rose bushes

Fri, Jan 05, 2024

Learn proper pruning at free Green Acres workshops

Class with expert tips offered at all locations

Thu, Jan 04, 2024

Pruning basics covered in quick, informative local videos

Topics include salvias, blueberries, grasses and more

Wed, Jan 03, 2024

Learn about 'Gardening for the Future'

El Dorado master gardeners offer free workshop on biodiversity and sustainable gardening

Tue, Jan 02, 2024

Learn about seed saving and swapping

Placer County master gardeners host free in-person workshop

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Taste Spring! E-cookbook

Strawberries

Find our spring recipes here!

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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.

Taste Summer! E-cookbook

square-tomatoes-plate.jpg

Find our summer recipes here!

Taste Fall! E-cookbook

Muffins and pumpkin

Find our fall recipes here!

Taste Winter! E-cookbook

Lemon coconut pancakes

Find our winter recipes here!