Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Nov. 10

After a very sunny Saturday (Nov. 9), a storm system is expected to arrive in the greater Sacramento area late Sunday or early Monday, Veterans Day. Drizzly weather and possible thunderstorms are in the forecast through Tuesday, dropping a quarter to a half inch of rain – not enough to turn off the irrigation, but it’s something.

After a dry Wednesday, a second, potentially stronger storm system moves into our area and will stick around through Thursday and Friday. That storm is forecast to drop more than a half inch – and then we can turn off the sprinklers.

All that cloud cover will drop daytime temperatures below normal. Most of this week, afternoon highs will hover around only 60 degrees.

Make the most of gaps between raindrops and get stuff done!

* 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.

* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.

* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.

* After they bloom, chrysanthemums should be trimmed to 6 to 8 inches above the ground. If in pots, keep the mums in their containers until next spring. Then, they can be planted in the ground, if desired, or repotted.

* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.

* Pull faded annuals and vegetables.

* Prune dead or broken branches from trees.

* 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.

* 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.