Halloween, wine and blossoms
Gardeners should mark these dates on their calendars Too early to think about Halloween? Not if you want to squeeze into Sacramento’s Historic City Cemetery…
Read MoreArticles by Debbie Arrington
Smart, not lazy
Organic gardening pioneer says planning pays off When it comes to gardening, Robert Kourik sees value in being lazy. Take a step back, sit down…
Sticks and stones
Use mulch, not rocks, around lawn trees Rocks in a garden can be attractive. They can form paths or add accents. But rock mulch around…
A haven no more?
A bee sanctuary at UC Davis faces funding crunch Honey bees aren’t the only ones at risk. So is their Yolo County haven. Officially named…
Can bananas grow in Sacramento?
See for yourself at Harvest Day Set for Saturday at Fair Oaks Horticulture Center, Harvest Day is a chance to pick up a cornucopia of…
Gardening the Grid
Midtown residents squeeze plants into tight spaces While gardening in Midtown, you never know what you’ll dig up. “These homes were built before they had…
A little frog shall lead them
Regional Water Authority hopes free moisture meters get customers to conserve How do you persuade people to save water when there isn’t a drought? That’s…
Down on the farm
One place at the State Fair stays true to agricultural roots How does a kiwi grow? What do hops look like on the vine? Can…
Death on the track
Thoroughbred racing returns to California State Fair after a spate of fatalities California horse racing has a lot riding on what happens this summer in…
Field to vase
American Flowers Week promotes locally grown For Amanda Kitaura, it started with a bag of dahlia tubers from Costco. “I’ve always loved flowers,” she said….
Hot tomato
Sacramento has the sun and heat tomato plants crave. But how much is too much? Sacramento loves tomatoes. The feeling is mutual. Any Sacramentan with…
A one-woman, world-famous garden
Huei Young’s backyard oasis in Davis is a labor of love Starting with a bare lot at a new home, Huei Young planted her paradise,…
These plants feed themselves
Sacramento’s popular carnivorous plant show moves to Father’s Day weekend Who doesn’t love a flower that gobbles up bugs? That’s part of the allure of…
Gag order
Sacramento garden volunteers are being forced to sign a no-comment agreement A prickly situation has sprung up in Sacramento’s most famous rose garden. Volunteers at…
When it rains, it pours
Feeling soggy? With so much late spring rain, this has been an unusual month, bringing some surprises to local gardeners. With temperatures 10 degrees or…
Mistaken identity
Countless cases of mistaken identity this month got butterfly lovers excited. “With all the publicity given to the collapse of the California monarch population, I…
Succulents grow on you
More gardeners, young and old, are getting into fleshy water-wise plants known as succulents. They’re drawn by succulents’ sculptural good looks and ability to survive…