UCCE Sacramento County Master Gardeners

Party season is coming. You will need hostess gifts or stocking stuffers for friends and family, right? And what about a little something for you? Order now: sacmg.ucanr.edu/Gardening_Guide/ Colorful photos, planting charts and lots more useful information is yours in this year’s Trees calendar. Our Gardening Guide and Calendar for 2021 has so much to offer for a tiny price tag of $10. ... Proceeds from calendar sales support our program. Thank you!

Thank you, Veterans

Trevor looked out over the garden... still a lot of flowers in bloom... he knew it wouldn't last much longer though - the nights were definitely getting colder, the day-length shorter... winter was coming - Never his favorite time of year - those solid glass flowers the humans filled were ok, but sometimes they ran dry...Its like that old saying: Gotta get the nectar while the getting is good! -the reflections of Trevor, an Anna's hummingbird ---------------------------------...--------------------- Photo and story by Kimberly Steinmann, Master Gardener Note: Despite their tiny size, hummingbirds have a large presence and personality in many Sacramento gardens. While some migrate south to warmer climates, we are lucky to be home to many species that stick around for the winter, visiting the few remaining flowers in bloom and the many hummingbird feeders hung by local gardeners. The Sacramento Audubon Society lists six different species in our area, although some are more commonly seen than others: the Black-chinned Hummingbird, Anna's Hummingbird, Costa’s Hummingbird, Calliope Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, and Allen’s Hummingbird (http://www.sacramentoaudubon.org/clhummingbird.html) Hummingbirds visit many flowers a day in their quests for nectar, the sweet sugary liquid that makes up a large portion of their diet. Pollen grains often cling to their feathers or beak, which the bird then unintentionally disperses to pollinate new flowers. In addition to nectar, hummingbirds also eat many small insects, including garden pests such as leafhoppers and whiteflies. If you have a hummingbird feeder, be sure to wash the feeder regularly to prevent disease and mold. For information about hummingbird feeders: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/feeding-hummingbirds/

Decorate your tree this year like a boss

IT. IS. COLD. Freeze warning this morning. Everything you need to know to protect your plants; before and after care. http://sacmg.ucanr.edu/frost_protection/... (Photo via UCCE Sacramento County Master Gardener website)

Beautiful Fall succulent unicorn pumpkin cookies! Feeling too cold to get out into the garden this morning? Our website has a wealth of information! http://sacmg.ucanr.edu (Photo credit: Sweet Saneets and Creative Space Sac)

Gardenism Happy Sunday! Photo credit: Pixabay

Gardenism Happy Saturday! Photo credit: Pexels

Friday Foolishness: Oh, yeah!

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Emma grunted under the weight of the upper petal - it felt like it was going to crush her wings, but at this point, she didn't really care - she was too excited! She had spent a good part of her adult life obsessed by the teasing scents of the flower - scents that hinted of an amazing nectar, a nectar trapped behind the maws of a flower unwilling to share, a nectar it seemed only bumble bees could taste - their larger bodies opening the petals with ease....there had to be a w...ay in... A honey bee she had met on a salvia plant had laughed at her when she asked if it had ever gotten inside... the bee had thought it ridiculous to waste so much energy when there were so many other easier flowers... Emma didn't understand how the honey bee could be so indifferent -what was the point of life if you didn't try new things? conquer new challenges? taste forbidden nectars? Well, today she had done it! She was inside the snapdragon and the nectar was hers! Even if her wings were sore for the rest of the day, she will have drunk the nectar of the Dragon!! -the hopes and dreams of Emma, a European wool carder bee ---------------------------------------------------------------- Photo and story by Kimberly Steinmann, Master gardener and bug nerd Note: The structures of many flowers are thought to be evolutionary adaptations designed to attract a perfect type of pollinator - a pollinator that is the right size to get doused with pollen while seeking its nectar or pollen meal. The snapdragon flower is difficult for most small bees to open, but not a problem for larger bees such as the bumble bee. The larger size of the bumble bee causes it to brush up against the flower's pollen-coated anthers when the bee enters the snapdragon to find nectar. The bee then distributes this pollen to the next flower it visits, assisting with pollination. Many bees have found ways to avoid the barriers of flower structures, however, such as biting holes through the petals to get the nectar, a process called 'nectar robbing'

Did anyone save their pumpkin seeds to plant next year, or perhaps roasted or toasted them for snacks?

November Berry Plants Activities and Tips: For more tips: http://sacmg.ucanr.edu/Berries/Monthly/#nov... Now is the time to propagate new blackberry plants. Allow new canes to rest on the ground or a pot of soil to root over winter. Transplant when roots have formed. (Photo via UCCE Sacramento County Master Gardener website)

November Orchard Activities and Tips: Harvest persimmons, pomegranates, early-ripening lemons and limes Protect from frost: move potted citrus to sheltered locations, place frost covers nearby to in-ground citrus trees so they can be quickly covered when frosts are predicted (refer to frost protection link for more information)... http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8100.pdf Turn off irrigation systems when rains begin Manage pests: monitor for and prune out fire blight on pears and apples (refer to Fire Blight Pest Note link) http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7414.html http://sacmg.ucanr.edu/Monthly_Orchard_Tips/#nov (Photo credit: Pixabay)