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Succulents, cacti fill big show, sale

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED MAY 13, 2019

Gardening with succulents and cacti is booming. Get plants and tips at the

Carmichael Cactus and Succulent Society show and sale this weekend.

Want to learn to make a hypertufa container for succulents like the one here?

See the postscript at the end of the blog post. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)

Carmichael event offers hundreds of choices

Can’t get enough succulents? Find amazing specimens on exhibit plus many unusual varieties for sale at this huge event.

This weekend, the Carmichael Cactus and Succulent Society hosts its 43rd annual show and sale at the Carmichael Park Clubhouse. In addition to displays of prized plants, hundreds of succulents and cacti will be offered for sale. Admission and parking are free.

“We have six plant vendors including the best succulent vendor anywhere, David Calibo from San Francisco,” said society member Pat Allen. “His plants are incredible. Cactus man Bill Munkacsy (of Plant Seca) is back and so is Merlyn Lenear (and his container gardens); he’s really good with agaves, too. Plus our members will be donating plants to sell. I’m contributing 147 plants to the sale table.”

This show and sale offers a great chance to learn about succulents as well as build a collection.

Hens and chicks are always popular succulents. (Photo:

Debbie Arrington)

“The first thing people look at is what they’re familiar with: Hen and chicks, sempervivums, echeverias,” said Allen, who has about 500 plants in her collection. “Then, they start looking around and they become so intrigued! There are so many different ones!”

Hen and chicks are most popular, too. “They always sell out,” Allen said. “The agaves sell very well, too.”

Show and sale hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 18, and 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 19. The Carmichael Park clubhouse is located at 5750 Grant Ave., Carmichael.

Details: www.ccandss.com .

P.S. What to put your succulents in? How about a handmade planter? On June 1, the Sacramento County master gardeners are offering a hands-on workshop to make lightweight hypertufa planters like the one in the top photo. They look like rustic natural stone and are perfect for planting succulents, cactus, herbs or cascading flowers. Participants will take home the 12-inch planter they make in the class. 10 a.m. to noon, under the trees at the Horticulture Center. All supplies provided; just bring an apron. $40 fee; pre-registration required. Space is limited. Fair Oaks Horticulture Center, 11549 Fair Oaks Blvd., Fair Oaks. Register at http://sacmg.ucanr.edu/Special_Events/

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GENERAL GARDENING

An article about gardening.

Keywords:

UCCE master gardeners drought-tolerant plants Sacramento container gardening plant show Carmichael succulents cactus gardening workshops garden clubs plant sale

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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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