After so much rain, our gardens gets a chance to dry out
Some roses may still be trying to bloom but they need pruning. However, hold off on breaking out the pruners until the weather's drier, Tuesday or later. Kathy Morrison
We’re wet and getting wetter. How often do you see “100% chance” of rain in the Sacramento forecast? But according to the National Weather Service, more thunderstorms and showers are “definite” Sunday night into Monday.
After a half inch or more on Saturday, Sacramento can expect another inch Sunday night and Monday morning. Lots of wind (again) is expected with that wave of rain, too. Watch out for falling branches!
On Tuesday, we’ll finally start to dry out, says the weather service. A few showers may blow through midweek, but overall no real rain – not like we’ve seen – is in the forecast for later this coming week.
How much rain have we had this very wet January? Through Friday midnight, Downtown Sacramento totaled 5.5 inches – more than three times normal for those 13 days. Historically, January averages 3.64 inches.
After so much winter weather, take advantage of dry days by getting outdoors and giving your garden some TLC.
No. 1 task right now is clean up. Those storms left tons of tree debris all over the place – including branches stuck in other trees and shrubs.
If you see cracks in soil around trees, that means their roots may be moving – call an arborist! That tree is at risk of toppling.
Avoid walking on and working in muddy soil; it can compact easily, squeezing out the air. When that compacted soil dries (especially clay soils), it becomes like bricks. So, put off planting until the soil has a chance to drain.
* All this water can prompt crown rot. Pull mulch and tree litter away from trunks to let them dry out and breathe.
* Prune, prune, prune. Now is the time to cut back most deciduous trees and shrubs while you can see their structure. The exceptions are spring-flowering shrubs such as lilacs.
* Now is the time to prune deciduous fruit trees. Clean up leaves and debris around the trees to prevent the spread of disease.
* Prune roses, even if they’re still trying to bloom. Strip off any remaining leaves, so the bush will be able to put out new growth in early spring.
* Clean up leaves and debris around your newly pruned roses and shrubs. Put down fresh mulch or bark to keep roots cozy.
* When forced bulbs sprout, move them to a cool, bright window. Give them a quarter turn each day so the stems will grow straight.
* Divide daylilies, Shasta daisies and other perennials.
* Cut back and divide chrysanthemums.
* Once the soil dries out a little, plant bare-root roses, trees and shrubs. If your ground seems saturated, consider planting your garden additions in large black plastic pots. The black plastic will warm up faster than the ground soil and give roots a healthy start. Then, transplant the new addition (rootball and all) into the ground in April as the weather warms.
* Browse through seed catalogs and start making plans for spring and summer.
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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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