Fall is finally in the air (and so is fire danger)
It's decorative gourd season! Harvest your squash, gourds and pumpkins for decor galore. Kathy Morrison
After a string of summerlike days, gusty conditions are expected to blow through Northern California and drop temperatures by double digits. With those winds comes increased fire danger.
“A significant pattern change will take place in the West this weekend with a major storm system digging and carving through the region,” says the National Weather Service. “A number of weather hazards are expected from high winds for a large chunk of the West to the first heavy mountain snowfall of the season for the northern and central Rockies. Also, temperatures are likely to be well below normal this weekend and all of next week.”
That system definitely will affect Sacramento’s weather week. We start out windy and turn chilly.
Noon to 10 p.m. Sunday, a high wind warning will be in effect for much of the Sacramento Valley and surrounding areas with winds of 15 to 25 mph forecast, says the Sacramento NWS bulletin. Locally, gusts of 30 to 40 mph could hit Sunday afternoon and evening.
Coupled with low humidity, those gusty winds increase fire danger – all it takes is one spark. Put away power tools for another day, especially if working around tall dry grass.
Also be on the lookout for falling limbs (or whole trees). Months of drought have weakened root systems as well as branches. A strong gust may be just enough push to bring a stressed tree down.
Once the winds recede, Sacramento will see some great gardening weather, albeit no rain. Right now, the weather service expects us to stay dry. There’s a “slight chance” of showers late Tuesday night, but otherwise no precipitation is in the forecast.
Through Friday, daytime highs will be pleasantly in the low 70s – below normal for mid October (which averages highs of 78), but 20 degrees cooler than last week. Overnight lows will start dipping into the mid 40s; that will bring out fall colors in trees and finish off the tomatoes.
* Plant trees, shrubs and perennials. Remember to deep-water any transplants.
* Plant seeds for many flowers directly into the garden, including cornflower, nasturtium, nigella, poppy, portulaca, sweet pea and stock.
* Plant seeds for radishes, bok choy, mustard, spinach and peas.
* Plant garlic and onions.
* Set out cool-weather bedding plants, including calendula, pansy, snapdragon, primrose and viola.
* Reseed and feed the lawn. Work on bare spots.
* Dig up corms and tubers of gladioluses, dahlias and tuberous begonias after the foliage dies. Clean and store in a cool, dry place.
* Treat azaleas, gardenias and camellias with chelated iron if leaves are yellowing between the veins.
* Clean up the remains of the summer vegetable garden and compost disease-free foliage.
* Harvest pumpkins and winter squash.
Previous posts on fall planting:
California's favorite winter vegetable to grow: Broccoli
Fallen leaves: Turn mess into mulch
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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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