Soil Born offers hands-on workshop in its American River Ranch orchard
For successful orchard crops, fruit trees must be selectively thinned and carefully pruned. Kathy Morrison
Summer is a crucial time for fruit farmers – and it’s not just remembering to irrigate. Fruit trees need to be “managed.” That includes selective thinning and careful pruning.
Learn how during a hands-on workshop at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 10, at Soil Born Farms.
Led by Soil Born founder and co-director Shawn Harrison, “Summer Fruit Tree Care” will introduce gardeners of all experience levels to how they can get more harvest from their own backyard orchards – or a single tree.
“Proper care of fruit trees can boost their health and maximize their production,” say the organizers. “This is a hands-on class focused on learning how to summer prune and provide other necessary care for your fruit trees. We will be learning by doing, so please bring a hat, boots and gloves!”
At its American River Ranch, Soil Born grows a wide assortment of fruit including multiple varieties of apples, apricots, cherries, figs, mulberries, nectarines, olives, peaches, pears, persimmons, pluots and pomegranates. Here’s an opportunity to ask questions and get expert advice.
Fee for this 2-1/2-hour workshop is $30 and advance registration is required.
Soil Born’s American River Ranch is located at 2140 Chase Drive, Rancho Cordova. After class, take advantage of Soil Born’s Saturday farmstand and other activities.
To register and more details: https://soilborn.org/.
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Garden Checklist for week of May 5
Survey your garden after the May 4 rainstorm. Heavy rain and gusty winds can break the neck of large flowers such as roses. Also:
* Keep an eye on new transplants or seedlings; they could take a pounding from the rain.
* Watch out for powdery mildew. Warmth following moist conditions can cause this fungal disease to “bloom,” too. If you see a leaf that looks like it’s dusted with powdered sugar, snip it off.
* After the storm, start setting out tomato transplants, but wait on the peppers and eggplants (they want warmer nights). Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.
* 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, pumpkins, 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.
* Don’t wait; plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.
* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.
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