Last days of October may get a little damp
You can't beat primroses for adding bright pops of color to the fall and winter garden. Kathy Morrison
Rain? Really? Well, maybe.
According to the National Weather Service, Northern California should get ready to get wet as a storm system blows in Sunday. Rain showers are expected to continue through Monday. The storm may even deliver some light snow in the Sierra passes.
But don’t expect much precipitation in Sacramento; our forecast rain total is less than 0.1 inches with a possible quarter inch in the foothills. The weather service warns of slick roads from accumulated oil on streets; be careful while driving.
Halloween on Thursday could be a little damp, too, as a second round of showers pushes through in the morning hours. (On Thursday evening, trick-or-treaters should be fine.) Again, the predicted total is less than 0.1 inches for Sacramento.
We’re overdue for some rain. Historically in Sacramento, October averages 0.95 inches – almost always in the last part of the month. It’s highly unlikely we’ll reach that average this October.
Temperatures will be mild and cool. Late October averages highs of 77 degrees; due to cloud cover, this next week will see mostly 60s, topping out at 67 degrees on Friday.
That’s still great weather for gardening. Grab a sweater – and an umbrella, just in case – then get to work:
* October is the best month to plant trees, shrubs and perennials.
* Harvest pumpkins and winter squash.
* Pick apples and persimmons. Remember to pick up fallen fruit, too; it attracts pests.
* Clean up the summer vegetable garden and compost disease-free foliage.
* Dig up corms and tubers of gladioli, 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.
* Now is the time to 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.
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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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