More dry weather creates winter planting window
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| Not only is it the right time to plant new roots of artichoke, horseradish, strawberry and rhubarb, it's also perfect to clean up and replant older strawberry plants, as above. (Photo: Kathy Morrison) |
How dry we are! Our rainless weather pattern continues.
According to the National Weather Service, Sacramento has a 0% chance of rain between now and next weekend. January, usually one of our wettest months, will end with only 0.05 inches of precipitation – 3.6 inches below normal.
February also is tracking on the dry side. A “normal” February in Sacramento averages nearly 3.6 inches, too.
Right now, the only moisture in the forecast is patchy morning ground fog. That fog will keep temperatures cool, with afternoon highs around 60 degrees and overnight lows in the high 30s.
While we sure could use the rain, make good use of this pleasant winter weather:
* Finish winter pruning. That includes roses and most dormant trees or shrubs.
* This is the last chance to spray fruit trees before they bloom. Treat peach and nectarine trees with copper-based fungicide. Spray apricot trees at bud swell to prevent brown rot. Apply horticultural oil to control scale, mites and aphids on fruit trees soon after a rain. But remember: Oils need at least 24 hours to dry to be effective. Don’t spray during foggy weather.
* Feed spring-blooming shrubs and fall-planted perennials with slow-release fertilizer.
* Fertilize strawberries and asparagus.
* Indoors, start peppers, tomatoes and eggplant from seed.
* Plant bare-root roses, berries and fruit trees.
* Transplant or direct-seed several flowers, including snapdragon, candytuft, lilies, astilbe, larkspur, Shasta and painted daisies, stocks, bleeding heart and coral bells.
* In the vegetable garden, plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers plus artichoke, horseradish, strawberry and rhubarb roots.
* Transplant cabbage, broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts as well as lettuce (both loose leaf and head).
* Plant seed potatoes and onion sets (small bulbs).
* From seed, plant beets, chard, lettuce, mustard, peas, radishes and turnips.
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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 3
November still offers good weather for fall planting:
* If you haven't already, it's time to clean up the remains of summer. Pull faded annuals and vegetables. Prune dead or broken branches from trees.
* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.
* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Plant garlic and onions.
* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.
* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.
* Save dry stalks and seedpods from poppies and coneflowers for fall bouquets and holiday decorating.
* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.
* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.
* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.
* To help prevent leaf curl, apply a copper fungicide spray to peach and nectarine trees after they lose their leaves this month. Leaf curl, which shows up in the spring, is caused by a fungus that winters as spores on the limbs and around the tree in fallen leaves. Sprays are most effective now.
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