Be prepared for lots of rain, wind and frost
The strong winds and rain are knocking down lots of tree debris. Keep storm drains clear to prevent street flooding. Kathy Morrison
It’s not quite winter, but you can’t tell that from this week’s forecast. A series of storms will drench the greater Sacramento area accompanied by strong gusty winds.
Between rainy days, overnight lows will plunge into the low 30s, bringing frost danger as well as possible fog.
On Saturday morning, the National Weather Service issued a flood advisory for an area stretching from the Sierra foothills to Fairfield. “Periods of moderate to locally heavy rain may bring localized roadway flooding and rises to small streams,” tweeted the NWS Sacramento office.
More than an inch of rain is expected this weekend before clearing Monday. But that’s when nights get cold with lows of 32 degrees forecast for Monday and Tuesday.
Daytime highs will be on the cold side, too, with low 50s through next weekend.
Keep umbrellas handy; more showers are expected next Saturday, too.
In between storms, assess what needs to be done to help your garden cope:
* Prune broken limbs. Also tend to non-flowering trees and shrubs while they're dormant.
* Got a leaning tree? Wind and rain can push over evergreens and other trees, especially if their roots have been weakened by drought. Call an arborist and bring in expert help immediately before the tree falls completely.
* After so much rain, succulent plants are at particular risk if temperatures drop below freezing. Protect from cold when frost is in the forecast. Make sure to remove coverings during the day.
* Start pruning roses. Remove all foliage and rake up leaves under bushes.
* Brighten the holidays with winter bloomers such as calendulas, Iceland poppies, pansies and primroses. Plant in pots for instant color.
* Keep poinsettias in a sunny, warm location – most likely indoors. Don’t leave poinsettias outside in rain and cold.
* Rake and remove dead leaves and stems from dormant perennials.
* Pick up debris knocked down by wind and rain. Keep storm drains clear.
* Just because it rained doesn't mean every plant got watered. Give a drink to plants that the rain didn't reach, such as under eaves.
* Bare-root season has begun. Plant bare-root berries, kiwifruit, grapes, artichokes, horseradish and rhubarb. Beware of soggy soil. It can rot bare-root plants.
* It’s not too late to plant spring bulbs, especially in pots.
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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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