Clubs to offer their expertise, plants and wares; volunteers needed for McKinley Park beautification event
The Shepard Center is in the eastern extension of McKinley Park, which will gain some new trees Saturday. The center's big Spring Sale also happens this weekend. Admission is free. Kathy Morrison
This Saturday and Sunday, March 16 and 17, the garden and arts center in East Sacramento hosts its annual Spring Sale, featuring the two dozen-plus clubs that call Shepard home.
Shop for plants, flowers, crafts, jewelry, books, garden art and more at this huge event. Bring your dull knives and garden tools for sharpening (for a small donation).
This event is also a great chance to learn more about local garden and crafts clubs that meet at Shepard Center as well as get some expert advice. (See the list of clubs here.)
Sale hours are 10 a.m to 4 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Admission and parking are free.
Shepard Center is located at 3330 McKinley Blvd., Sacramento. For details and directions: https://www.sgaac.org/.
Also happening Saturday, March 16, is a volunteer opportunity that will have a lasting impact on McKinley Park, site of the center. Shepard Center is collaborating with the city’s Parks Department, the Sacramento Tree Foundation and SMUD to plant new trees in McKinley Park. These trees are replacements for some of those heavily damaged during last winter’s storms.
Saturday is the second part of a two-day planting spree at McKinley Park. Earlier this year, 30 volunteers representing several of Shepard’s clubs planted 13 new trees. City park staff dug the holes, then volunteers planted the trees and spread mulch rings around their planting sites. That’s also the plan for this second tree-planting event.
Chosen with the help of SacTree arborists, the new trees include ginkgo, cypress and tupelo varieties.
Saturday’s tree planting starts with a volunteer orientation at 9 a.m. at Clunie Memorial, at the western edge of McKinley Park, Alhambra Boulevard and F Street. Bring gloves and wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes.
Want to volunteer? Email Will Green at WGreen@surewest.net to RSVP.
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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 3
November still offers good weather for fall planting:
* If you haven't already, it's time to clean up the remains of summer. Pull faded annuals and vegetables. Prune dead or broken branches from trees.
* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.
* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Plant garlic and onions.
* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.
* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.
* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.
* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.
* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.
* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.
* To help prevent leaf curl, apply a copper fungicide spray to peach and nectarine trees after they lose their leaves this month. Leaf curl, which shows up in the spring, is caused by a fungus that winters as spores on the limbs and around the tree in fallen leaves. Sprays are most effective now.
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