Sacramento Digs Gardening: Sacramento community gardens staying open

Artichokes don't stop growing during a shutdown. Community gardens such as Fremont in midtown Sacramento are staying open. (Photo: Debbie Arrington)

Gardeners can keep their plots growing during coronavirus crisis

In the greater scheme of our new normal, gardening is essential.

As a food source and open space, Sacramento’s community gardens are being allowed to stay open to members during the current coronavirus shutdown.

“The (community) garden is considered a park and open space,” explained Bill Maynard, the City of Sacramento’s community gardens coordinator. “Also in some ways, (the garden is) a food store, so you can go to it.”

Gardeners are asked to be mindful of social distancing – stay at least 6 feet away from other people while pulling weeds or watering veggies. That shouldn’t be a problem; gardening tends to be a solo activity in general.

Maynard asked that gardeners also use some other precautions, such as bringing their own gloves or tools.

“Wear gloves when using the common tools,” he said. “Wear gloves when touching common things like locks, tables, etc. Wash your hands often! Don’t touch your face.”

Besides the food, community gardens also give gardeners a chance to exercise outside, offering both mental and physical benefits during these stressful times.

On the practical side, gardens need consistent care. If left alone for several weeks during this crisis, weeds would take over and there would be much more work to tackle later on. So, Sacramento is encouraging community gardeners to maintain their plots and pull the weeds.

Like many city employees, Maynard will be off work for the next two or three weeks. But he’ll still be gardening.

“Take care and be healthy,” he said. “Eat your veggies!”

GENERAL GARDENING

An article about gardening.

Keywords:

community garden gardening Sacramento vegetables coronavirus vegetable gardens Fremont Community Garden parks weeds

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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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