We are a group of gardeners and plant lovers who meet monthly to talk about gardening. We also share plants, seeds and cuttings, and learn from horticultural guest presenters. Most of our meetings are free and open to the public--please join us!
Our next meeting will be September 14th at the Center for Spiritual Living, 14 Hillary Lane, right here in Chico. We will have social time from 11:30-12:00, our Speaker from 12:00-1:00 p.m., then our Business Meeting from 1:00-2:00 p.m. Stay for whichever portion you'd like. Our September presenter will be Erin Henderson from Full Circle Florals, a local flower farm (click here for their website).
A nice variegated-leaf geranium in a member's garden. Botanically, geraniums are known as Pelargonium, and they thrive in Chico in full or partial sun, with average water. Easy to propagate from stem cuttings rooted directly in soil outdoors in the shade.
September's Photo:
September gardening activities
Start seedlings of autumn vegetables indoors: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and lettuce. OR, purchase transplants and plant in the garden
Fertilize citrus for the final time this year (the general schedule is Valentine's Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day)
Plant seeds of biennials outdoors to have small plants by autumn that will flower next year (forget-me-nots, evening primroses (Oenothera), foxgloves, hollyhocks, Canterbury bells, lunaria, etc)
Direct-seed carrots, leaf lettuce, onions, spinach, beets, and turnips in the garden
Scatter seeds of California poppies, clarkia, and African daisies around the garden. They'll sprout in late autumn/early winter and will flower next spring
Plant potatoes
Dig up and divide clumps of bearded iris, daylilies, and peonies if you wish to make more of them.
Deadhead (cut off faded flowers) annual and perennial flowers to encourage new blooms
Fertilize camellias with a fertilizer for acid-loving plants (azaleas, camelias, gardenias, etc). This will get them in good shape to flower this winter and grow next spring.
Summertime is the right time of year to re-pot most cacti, palm trees and succulents (except Aeoniums, which prefer it in winter) 🌵
Like oleander plants? Now is a great time to propagate them via stem cuttings rooted in water--remember, they're toxic
Fertilize summer annuals and vegetables
Once you've harvested the berries, cut back the canes that bore fruit on your berry plants. They're done bearing and its good to make room for this year's growth.
Order spring bulbs to plant in October/November for spring flowers 🌷
Updated Sept 3rd!
Beautiful downtown Chico, California
Fresh tomatoes from a member's garden.
Butterfly bushes (Buddleia sp.), Rudbeckia, canna lilies and zinnias in a member's summer garden.
Club members at one of several "potting parties" to prepare plants for our fund-raising spring Plant Sale
