The Water-Efficient Landscape Gardens

January

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February

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March

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April

Garden chores this month include:

• Weeds - Remove early germinating annual weeds such as bedstraw, cut leaf geranium and oxalis before they set seed, controlling bindweed. Managing weeds.
• Tree sprouts – Pull up volunteer oak and other tree sprouts while watching out for garden pests and diseases.
• Rosemary – Shape rosemary plants to prevent woodiness by trimming back selected branches by half, taking care not to cut into woody stems. For more information about pruning rosemary, see the UCCE Master Gardeners of Sacramento County video Pruning Rosemary.
• Native plants – Review growth of manzanitas, California golden currant and coast silktassel and prune as needed.
• Water wise alternatives - Consider water wise, sustainable alternatives to lawns such as pathways, patios, raised planters, drip irrigation, dry creek beds, and permeable pavement.

May

May is the time to stop by and smell our roses, enjoy our spring blooming perennials, flowering cool season grasses and more.  Lavenders and salvias with names like Hot Lips, Lipstick, Bees Bliss and Whirly Blue are top May choices for pollinating bees and hoverflies. 

For information about plants that are attractive in Sacramento in May, see the WEL spring plant list.

Garden chores this month include:

• Euphorbias and Jupiter’s beard – Deadhead, as they reseed readily
• Lavender – Cut back one-third after plants complete their bloom to control shape and encourage growth and re-bloom.  See UCCE Master Gardeners of Sacramento County YouTube video Harvest and Rejuvenate Your Lavender
• Weeds - Remove annual weeds such as bedstraw, cut-leaf geranium, burclover and oxalis before they set seed, and control bindweed. The UC IPM Weed Gallery is a good guide to identifying and controlling weeds.
• Tree sprouts – Pull up oak and other tree sprouts.
• Garden pests and diseases – Be on the lookout for these.  A good resource for flower problems is the UC Integrated Pest Management website.

June

Although the calendar says summer arrives June 20, our early June weather feels more like midsummer.  Many of our ornamental grasses are starting their long-lasting bloom cycles. Fresh blossoms of summer flowering sages, goldenrod, hummingbird plant, and santolina delight the eyes and beckon birds, bees and other beneficials.  See information about attracting beneficial insects to your garden (Garden Note 129) and Master Gardeners of Clackamas County, Oregon YouTube video Best Bee Flowers. Come see our volunteer sunflowers, lantana, butterfly bushes, and native sulfur buckwheat blooms.  Blue gray and lavender Russian sages, lamb’s ear, plumbagoes, society garlic, lantana, and verbenas add a cooling touch.

For plant choices that are attractive in Sacramento in June, go to the WEL spring and summer plant lists.

Garden chores this month include:

• Weeds - Remove germinating annual weeds such as bedstraw, spotted spurge and oxalis before they set seed, and control bindweed. The UC IPM Weed Gallery is a good guide to identifying and controlling weeds.
• Tree sprouts – Pull up oak and other tree sprouts.
• Deadhead – Lavender, Jupiter’s beard, germander, Santa Barbara daisy, and santolina will benefit from pruning this month. For information on pruning Santa Barbara daisies see UCCE Master Gardeners YouTube video Prune Santa Barbara Daisies.
• Native ceanothus, currants, and sages – Consider pruning and shaping these plants as they slow their growth in adjustment to the warm dry days ahead. A good resource for flower problems is the UC Integrated Pest Management website.

July

Summer peaks this month with long, dry, often very hot days and balmy nights.  Here in the garden shimmering ornamental grasses act as a background for heat-loving buckwheat, lantanas, crape myrtles, sunflowers, rudbeckias, goldenrod, and more. Cooling gray, green and lavender-colored Russian sages, Cape plumbago, junipers, and caryopteris provide a calming contrast to the riot of bright blooms.  Bees, butterflies, birds and beneficial insects drift happily about the garden. 

For plant choices that perform well in Sacramento in July, see the WEL summer plant list.

Garden chores this month include:

• Weeds – Continue to remove germinating annual weeds such as bedstraw, spotted spurge, cut-leaf geraniums, and oxalis before they set seed, and control bindweed. The UC IPM Weed Gallery is a good guide to identifying and controlling weeds.
• Tree sprouts – Pull up volunteer oak and other tree sprouts.
• Garden pests and diseases – Keep an eye out for these. A helpful resource is UC Integrated Pest Management.
• Flowers – Encourage longer blooming periods by deadheading salvias, penstemons, rudbeckias, and other continuously flowering perennials. A good resource for flower problems is UC Integrated Pest Management. UC Integrated Pest Management - Flower.
• Mulch – Spread mulch such as chopped leaves, wood chips, or other organic matter to a depth of 2 to 4 inches around plants to keep down weeds, conserve soil moisture, and moderate soil temperatures.
• Irrigation – Regularly check lines and emitters for clogs, cuts, and breaks. Monitor and adjust irrigation as needed.  See more irrigation tips.

August

• Coming soon.

September

• Coming soon.

October

• Coming soon.

November

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December

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