Thursday event coincides with Fair Oaks' Summer Preview
Check out the various types of berries developing in the Berry Patch at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center, during Open Garden on Thursday evening from 4 to 7 p.m. Kathy Morrison
Got garden questions? Who doesn’t, considering our weird spring weather? Here’s your chance to get expert advice from Sacramento County master gardeners – at a time convenient to folks who can’t make weekend mornings.
On Thursday evening, May 4, the master gardeners will host an Open Garden event at Fair Oaks Horticulture Center in Fair Oaks Park – rain or shine. Admission and parking are free.
From 4 to 7 p.m., watch master gardeners as they tend to spring tasks and prepare for summer planting and rapid growth.
“Join us for an evening in the garden,” say the master gardeners. “Bring your family and friends to see the new spring growth in our garden for ideas to use in yours. From vegetables in raised beds, grapes grown in barrels, fragrant herbs or espalier fruit. You will be motivated to start gardening this season.”
The master gardeners suggest these activities during Open Garden:
* Berries: Notice the varieties of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries for our region.
* Compost: See various ways to turn your backyard and kitchen waste into high-grade organic fertilizer.
*Herbs: Note culinary herbs in full display -- pleasing to the eyes and nose alike.
* Orchard: See all the varieties of fruit starting develop.
* Vegetables: The All-American colorful demonstration garden is ready for spring.
* Vineyard: Walk through the delicious varieties of grapes and see how they can be grown.
* Water Efficient Landscape: Look for pollinators among the native grasses and shrubs.
Got a garden mystery, problem pest or puzzling plant? Bring photos and/or sample (in a sealed plastic zipper bag) to the Ask a Master Gardener table.
Fair Oaks Horticulture Center is located at 11549 Fair Oaks Blvd., Fair Oaks.
And there’s more! On that same evening, from 5 to 7 p.m., Fair Oaks Park is hosting the park district’s “Summer Preview” with community booths, registration for summer programs, classic cars and food trucks. This event also is free.
Visit the master gardeners, then check out the community programs and get dinner.
Details and directions: https://sacmg.ucanr.edu.
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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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