Find hundreds of unusual, colorful shade-loving plants at free event
Nature's an endlessly fascinating designer, especially when it comes to leaves of rex begonias like the one here. See plenty of gorgeous plants at the annual American Begonia Society Show and Sale this weekend. Photo courtesy Sacramento Branch of the American Begonia Society
This weekend (Sept. 9 and 10) is all about begonias as the Joan Coulat Sacramento Branch of the American Begonia Society celebrates its 75th anniversary show and sale at Shepard Garden and Arts Center in McKinley Park.
With a nod to its milestone, the show’s theme is “Diamonds in the Shade.” In their diverse foliage and flower forms, begonias are true garden gems that thrive in Sacramento shade.
Open free to the public, the show highlights gorgeous specimen plants grown by club members. It’s also an opportunity to get expert advice on how to nurture these plants in your own garden.
The club’s annual fundraiser, the sale is always a huge draw, featuring hundreds of unusual and eye-catching plants. Club members go to great efforts to offer begonias not available from local sources.
In particular, find a great selection of rex begonias with foliage in a rainbow of colors and patterns. (They’re called “painted begonias” because each leaf looks like a living masterpiece.) Some even shimmer with a silvery patina.
Besides the amazing rex begonias, the sale features cane-type “Angel Wing” begonias as well as rhizomatous-type begonias and mini-begonias that prefer life in terrariums.
Show and sale hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10. Come early for the best selection.
Shepard Center is located at 3330 McKinley Blvd., Sacramento.
Details and directions: www.sgaac.org.
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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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