Rare August rain could arrive Friday; be ready for a 25-degree swing in high temperatures
The cooler weather this week should allow tomatoes to set new fruit, before a return of triple-digit temperatures. Kathy Morrison
Here’s something you don’t often hear in August in Sacramento: “Keep your umbrella handy.”
According to the National Weather Service, an unusual and strong weather system will blow into Northern California on Thursday night along with the possibility of thunderstorms. This cold front will drop temperatures as well as some precipitation.
As this “uncommon” weather system moves through, Sacramento has a 48% chance of rain on Friday afternoon and evening, says the weather service. The highest probability of rain is north of Interstate 80 including the possibility of cloud bursts and small hail.
Wet or not, Friday (Aug. 23) will seem downright chilly. Sacramento’s high temperature is forecast to be only 75 degrees – almost 20 degrees below normal for that date. Cloudy conditions will keep temperatures cool on Saturday (with an expected high of 81) before the heat returns.
And that warm-up will be fast; the expected high in Sacramento next Tuesday is 100 degrees.
Enjoy this cool streak while it lasts – and keep an eye on your tomatoes. If they had flowers bloom during recent cooler days, they’re likely setting fruit now. Fertilize them with some tomato food high in phosphate and potassium (the second and third macro-nutrient numbers on the fertilizer bag). That will help those baby tomatoes grow.
Also, deep water tomatoes before and after feeding. To help those vines hold onto their fruit, make sure their soil stays evenly moist during next week’s rapid warm-up.
Yo-yo temperatures can confuse flowering plants, especially roses. Blind shoots – stems with no terminal bud – are common on rose bushes after sudden temperature drops or increases. Blind shoots will never bloom; they just keep growing more leaflets. Snip them off (pruning about a half inch above a five-leaf leaflet) to prompt the bush to push out new shoots with buds.
While you’re at it, remove spent blooms on bushes, too. That removes a source of fungal disease as well as cues the bush to push out more flowers. Expect the new roses to open in six to eight weeks – just in time for fall bouquets.
For more on Sacramento weather: https://www.weather.gov/sto/.
Comments
0 comments have been posted.Sacramento Digs Gardening to your inbox.
Thanks to Our Sponsor!
Local News
Sites We Like
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.
Powered by California Local
