Master gardeners cover basics of how to buy and care for orchids
Placer master gardeners will offer tips on caring for orchids such as this beautiful cymbidium. Debbie Arrington
But which one to buy? And how do you care for these beautiful indoor tropicals? Or get them to rebloom?
Learn how at “Orchid Mania,” a new workshop offered by the UC Cooperative Education Master Gardeners of Placer County. And during this busy holiday season, this workshop will be presented both in-person in Loomis and via Zoom.
Set for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, “Orchid-Mania: How to Buy and Care for Orchids” will be hosted at Loomis Library, 6050 Library Drive, Loomis. It’s free with no advance registration necessary for the in-person event.
“This presentation is for you if you are ready to move beyond tossing orchids in the trash when they are done blooming, say the master gardeners. “You will learn how to keep and care for orchids and how to help them rebloom, maybe for many years. Warning: You may become addicted to these beautiful babies!”
This workshop will cover popular Phalaenopsis or moth orchids as well as Dendrobium and other species. Get some tips on outdoor grown cymbidiums, too.
And here’s a special free offer for those attending in person: “Bring your ‘sad’ orchids for recommendations on how to make them ‘happy’ again.” That may include repotting or other ideas.
To watch it live on Zoom, you will need to register in advance to receive the link. For Zoom registration and link: https://pcmg.ucanr.org/?calitem=535876&g=131834
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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.