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Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Nov. 14

Foggy conditions keep air and soil moist, but temperatures warm

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED NOV 13, 2021

California poppy seedlings already are making an appearance, but there's still

time to plant seeds for them and other wildflowers. (Photos: Kathy Morrison)

Mornings will feel damp this week, but no rain is in the forecast. Instead, fog has settled into the Sacramento Valley, keeping the conditions humid and the soil moist.

That fog also acts like a blanket, keeping overall temperatures higher. When the fog finally lifts, afternoon highs are expected to hover around 70 degrees, according to the National Weather Service, with overnight lows about 50. Normal for November in Sacramento: Highs of 64 and lows of 43 degrees.

This rosebud is OK so far with all

the moisture in the air now, but is

susceptible to fungal disease. Keep

an eye on roses and dahlias,

especially, as the dampness continues.

All that moisture can prompt outbreaks of fungal disease such as botrytis or gray mold. Instead of opening, flower buds turn to mush. This is particularly a problem on roses and dahlias. Snip those funky plops off the plant and discard to help prevent the fungi from infecting more flowers.

Meanwhile, concentrate on cleanup this week:

* 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.

* Use some of your good fall leaves as mulch around shrubs and trees.

* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant. Prune dead and broken branches first, then shape as desired.

* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.

* After they bloom, chrysanthemums should be trimmed to 6 to 8 inches above the ground. If in pots, keep the mums in their containers until next spring. Then they can be planted in the ground, if desired, or repotted.

* 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.

* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.

* Seed wildflowers such as California poppies.

* Plant sweet pea, sweet alyssum, bachelor buttons and other spring bloomers.

* Plant lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, kale and other winter veggies.

* Plant garlic and onions.

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Sacramento peach leaf curl onions trees fog wildflowers leaves fall planting gardening damp weather garlic pruning vegetables fungal diseases shrubs checklist

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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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