→ View All
Spring Gardening Tips for a Flourishing Garden
As the vibrant colors of spring burst forth and the air fills with the sweet scent of blossoms, it's the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and tend to your garden. Whether you're a seasoned gar...
Chest of Hope
Listed under: Community Service & Support Crime & Justice
Wind chill expected to drop overnight lows to 32 degrees in Sacramento
Just when you (and I) thought it was safe to plant our tomatoes, we have an extra-late threat of frost – three weeks after our traditional frost date.
Tuesday’s overnight lows are expected to plunge into the mid 30s. With wind chill, it will feel like 32 degrees in Sacramento – and colder in the foothills.
According to the National Weather Service, storm systems later this week will drop snow as low as 3,500 feet on Wednesday night. And we may have more cold, rainy days this week than we had in all of March.
Following days in the 90s just last week, this cold spell will put on the brakes to rapid spring growth – or kill it all together.
So, what’s a poor tomato plant to do? Huddle up with some temporary protection.
Use a plastic milk or water jug as a mini hot house over a new transplant. Cut out the bottom and leave off the cap. This do-it-yourself “hot cap” will protect the transplant from wind chill and frost danger.
In the afternoon, deep water tender plants; that extra moisture keeps the ground warm enough to avoid damage. Also, deep water citrus trees, which are now in bloom.
Another precaution: Make sure to mulch your veggies. Those wood chips or leaves act like a blanket over plant roots, keeping them moist and cozy.
Signs of frost damage are already prevalent in Sacramento gardens, due to some unseasonably cold nights in mid March. That chill killed new sprouts and browned transplants as well as burned tender growth on roses and other shrubs that were pushing out shoots.
When temperatures warm up reliably later this month, trim off the damaged foliage from shrubs. Frost-burned transplants may need to be replaced.
Then, it will be time to plant more tomatoes.
Comments
An article about gardening.
Sacramento Digs Gardening to your inbox.
Taste Spring! E-cookbook
Find our spring recipes here!
Local News
Thanks to our sponsor!
Sites We Like
Garden Checklist for week of May 19
Temperatures will be a bit higher than normal in the afternoons this week. Take care of chores early in the day – then enjoy the afternoon. It’s time to smell the roses.
* Plant, plant, plant! It’s prime planting season in the Sacramento area. If you haven’t already, it’s time to set out those tomato transplants along with peppers and eggplants. Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.
* Direct-seed melons, cucumbers, summer squash, corn, radishes, pumpkins and annual herbs such as basil.
* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.
* In the flower garden, direct-seed sunflowers, cosmos, salvia, zinnias, marigolds, celosia and asters.
* Plant dahlia tubers. Other perennials to set out include verbena, coreopsis, coneflower and astilbe.
* Transplant petunias, marigolds and perennial flowers such as astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia and verbena.
* Keep an eye out for slugs, snails, earwigs and aphids that want to dine on tender new growth.
* Feed summer bloomers with a balanced fertilizer.
* For continued bloom, cut off spent flowers on roses as well as other flowering plants.
* Don’t forget to water. Seedlings need moisture. Deep watering will help build strong roots and healthy plants.
* Add mulch to the garden to help keep that precious water from evaporating. Mulch also cuts down on weeds. But don’t let it mound around the stems or trunks of trees or shrubs. Leave about a 6-inch to 1-foot circle to avoid crown rot or other problems.
Taste Summer! E-cookbook
Find our summer recipes here!
Taste Fall! E-cookbook
Find our fall recipes here!
Taste Winter! E-cookbook
Find our winter recipes here!
You are subscribed!
Look for our confirmation message in your email inbox.
And look for our newsletter every Monday morning. See you then!
You're already subscribed
It looks like you're already subscribed to the newsletter. Not seeing it in the email inbox of the address you submitted? Be sure to check your spam folder or promotions folder (Gmail) in case your email provider diverted it there.
There was a problem with the submitted email address.
We can't subscribe you with the submitted email address. Please try another.
Subscribe