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Give your garden some post-storm TLC


Check around the garden for containers -- empty or otherwise -- that might have accumulated excess rain. Tip it out or dump it into plants under the eaves. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)

How did your landscape cope with so much rain?



We may not have had a March miracle, but so far April showers have us soaked.

According to the National Weather Service, Sacramento received about 2.2 inches in two days – more rain than the whole month of March. That’s also more than Sacramento historically averages for April, May and June combined.

How did your garden hold up during the weekend storm? It’s time for a post-rain check-up:

* Postpone planting or any other digging this week until soil has a chance to dry out a little. Working wet ground can cause compaction and root problems.

* This storm probably gave you a good idea about where the low spots are in your landscape. Mark them with a stick, so you’ll remember where they are when the landscape dries out. Avoid planting anything in that wet spot that demands good drainage.

* Consider such soggy spots for a rain garden, where water can naturally percolate into the ground to irrigate the landscape.

* Make sure storm drains, gutters and down spouts are clear of debris. These storms brought down a lot of tree litter from evergreens.

* Tip excess water out of containers. Make sure potted plants aren’t waterlogged.

* Eliminate any standing water that may have accumulated in wheelbarrows, saucers, etc.

* Not everything got watered by the rain. Check plants under eaves and overhangs; they may need a drink.

* Turn off the sprinklers. This storm saturated the soil. You can delay further irrigation for at least a week and save water – on average 800 gallons.

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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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