Notes from the Demo-Garden:
Spring at the Chapter’s native plant demo-garden has been glorious this year. The garden has been ablaze with the brilliant yellows of our Sunset fremontias, gorgeous blues of our Ray Hartman ceanothus, and vibrant pinks of our western redbuds. The fremontia’s are winding down and the Ray Hartman’s and redbuds are now setting seed. But as I write, the second act of Spring is in full swing. Current blooms include: our yellow sulfur buckwheats, golden lupines and bush monkey flowers, blue flax and penstemons, purple wooly blue curls, and the stunningly beautiful creamy-white blossomed California bush anemone.
Many of our native salvias/sages have now started to blossom. In fact at the May meeting, several of the young black-sage cuttings we brought for adoption had cute tiny little blossoms. I am also happy to report that all of the baby black-sages and creeping-sages found homes at the May meeting! Only one of the goldenrods and 3 of the ‘puniest’ baby Douglas iris were not adopted. In addition, thanks to Peggy Berry’s suggestion (that we put out a donation plate) and the generosity of ‘adopting parents’, the garden received $20 in donations for the babies! Be sure and make it to the September meeting so you can adopt demo-garden babies that make through the summer.
As many of you know, Mitchell Alford’s health has declined and she is unable to come out regularly on Saturdays to help supervise and give assignments to the Sheriff’s work party crews (after they muster in the morning) and to meet with volunteers that would like to come by on Saturdays at 10am. So I’m currently looking for folks that can fill her shoes to cover Saturdays at the garden. Please give me a call/email if you might be able to come out even 1 or 2 Saturdays this summer to meet/direct volunteers; and -if you’re up for it- to help supervise the Saturday work crews.
For those of you that can’t make it out to the garden on the weekends, let me know if you are able to swing by during the weekdays. We have several dedicated week-day weeding volunteers who swing by for 30 minutes or an hour to enjoy the garden and weed a plot or two. If this is something you think you might be able to help us with this summer, let me know and I’ll explain how we log your hours and dispose of the weeds that are pulled during the week.
During the upcoming Sundays, volunteers will help us with deadheading, pruning, and general maintenance. We will also be pruning the creeping sage (Salvia Sonomensis), so will be potting up about 25 cuttings for eventual give away at the September meeting, so could use help with this. We also have about 1,000+ baby St. Catherines lace volunteers, that we will be potting up regularly this summer for adoption/give-away at various summer events sponsored by the chapter and/or the Old City Cemetery Committee.
As always, I hope to see you in the garden.
Sabrina
SacValley CNPS Chair,
Native Plant Demo-Garden @ Historic City Cemetery
1000 Broadway, Sacramento CA
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GOAL OF THE DEMO-GARDEN
The goal of the Native Plant Demonstration Garden is to: enlighten our visitors to the beauty of California native plants; illustrate how they can be used in the home garden; show how to attract wildlife and beneficial insects; and educate about the many medicinal, cultural and edible aspects of plants used by the local Native Americans.
RIVER-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPE
Green Gardener Training Program
Why become a Green Gardener?
This ten-week series provides high quality training in all the key principles of River-Friendly Landscaping, or “Green Gardening” including:
Conserving water, protecting the soil and reducing the use of pesticides. Many classes will include both indoor and outdoor hands-on components. Creating a healthier garden for you, your community and the environment. Offering a list of River-Friendly Landscaping Principles, helping you compete in the professional industry.
Registration begins on Monday, March 2, 2009.
Cost is $30 for 10 consecutive week-sessions.
Register online at www.fcusd.org/adulted
(courses and online registration, Job Training)
Or mail your completed form to:
Folsom Cordova Adult School
10850 Gadsten Way, Bldg C
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
Class begins on Tuesday, March 31, 2009*
Class runs from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
*Class will not be held on April 7, 2009 due to Spring Break.
How Do I Sign Up?
For more information call Regional Water Authority at 916-967-7625.
Download flier.
For more information and tickets: www.goodlifegarden.ucdavis.edu/event_list
Contact: Kira O’Donnell, (530) 681-6412; kdodonnell@ucdavis.edu
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Backyard Edible Gardening
Presented by the UC Davis Good Life Garden
Saturday, April 25 and Saturday, May 23, 2009
Interest in the establishment of backyard edible gardens has increased significantly as food and gasoline prices skyrocket and consumers become increasingly concerned about food safety, freshness and quality. A rising demand for organic produce and honest, home-grown flavors are also important contributing factors in the backyard gardening movement. All these elements, notes Charlie Nardozzi, senior horticulturist at the National Gardening Association in Burlington, Vermont, are setting the stage for “a perfect storm for vegetable gardening.”
Gardening organizations, seed wholesalers, and local nurseries are all reporting hikes in the number of consumers purchasing vegetable seeds and starter plants and trees. But do consumers have the information they need to establish a functioning and successful garden? The UC Davis Good Life Garden will offer two in-depth seminars, designed as an overview on how to establish, maintain, and utilize the many benefits of a productive backyard edible garden.
The seminars will be taught by University of California master gardeners, farm advisors and respected gardening experts. Offered on Saturdays, the seminars will run from 9am to 2pm, and cost $35 with box lunch included ($25 with no box lunch). They will be held in UC Davis’ Good Life Garden and the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science sensory theatre. For more information, visit the UC Davis Good Life Garden website at www.goodlifegarden.ucdavis.edu or call Kira O’Donnell, (530) 681-6412.
Growing a Successful Vegetable Garden
Saturday, April 25, 2009
This in-depth class will focus on growing vegetables successfully all year.
Subjects addressed include:
• planning your garden
• vegetable varieties
• the importance of climate
• seed saving
• when and how to plant
• pest and weed management
• harvesting and storage
Participants should have a basic working knowledge of growing a garden with a desire to learn how to create a highly productive garden. Instructor Robert Norris is a UC Davis Plant Science emeritus professor, and has been teaching UC Master Gardener trainees the craft of vegetable gardening for 29 years. Also instructing will be Terry Allan of Seeds of Change, whose mission is to help preserve biodiversity and promote sustainable, organic agriculture. Seeds of Change cultivates and disseminates an extensive range of open-pollinated, organically grown, heirloom and traditional vegetable, flower and herb seeds.
All About Fruits, Nuts and Berries
Saturday, May 23, 2009
A backyard garden can be much more than simply a vegetable plot. In this information-packed seminar, we explore ways to plant, train, grow and enjoy fruit and nut trees and berry bushes.
Subjects addressed will include:
• planning and planting your orchard
• variety selection
• space requirements
• growing fruit in small spaces
• fertilization, irrigation, weeding, and thinning
• training and pruning
• pest management
Participants should have a basic working knowledge of gardening, with a desire to learn how to create a highly productive backyard orchard. Instructors for this unique and informative class will be Chuck Ingles, Sacramento County Farm Advisor; and Ed Laivo of the Dave Wilson Nursery.
OK, so this isn't quite what I envisioned in my enduring fantasy of being in Sunset Magazine (kicking self for not majoring in journalism or English). Still, this is pretty fantastic!
Amy at Garden Rant just posted about an article in the Seattle times announcing the demise of the San Francisco/Pacific Northwest Flower & Garden Shows. What's next, Sunset Magazine? My local Starbuck's? My neighborhood Border's? Whole Foods? Raley's? My little library? My son's school?
