Spring-like days finally arrive (but still too cold for happy tomatoes)
Don't forget to enjoy the early spring bloomers -- such as these summer snowflakes (Leucojum aestivum) -- before they fade in warmer weather. Trim spent flowers but not leaves of any spring bulbs. Kathy Morrison
The Easter Bunny is bringing us some sunshine. According to the National Weather Service, Sacramento can expect a sunny Easter Sunday – and Monday – with temperatures in the high 70s.
“The warming trend begins today, despite some cloud cover,” tweeted the NWS Sacramento office on Saturday morning. “Even warmer temperatures are forecast for Sunday and Monday when many locations will see their warmest day of the year (so far).”
The forecast calls for 78 degrees on Monday – 16 degrees warmer than Friday, which also saw 0.15 inches of rain. Normal for this week of April: 72 degrees.
Now for the real question: Is it warm enough to plant tomatoes? Yes – and no. Those afternoons in the 70s are mighty tempting, but the soil is still cold.
Not helping those early tomatoes, Sacramento will be right back down in the low 60s on Wednesday with a forecast high of 64, and overnight lows will continue to linger in the low 40s every night but Monday and Tuesday.
The good news: Many more warm days are coming soon, says the weather service. Next weekend’s forecast also calls for highs in the 70s. The later you wait this month, the happier your tomato transplants will be.
If you must plant tomatoes this week, give them some extra protection and warmth such as heat caps and mulch.
Elsewhere in the garden:
* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.
* Smell orange blossoms? Feed citrus trees with a low dose of balanced fertilizer during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants.
* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.
* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.
* Feed shrubs and trees with a slow-release fertilizer. Or mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost.
* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.
* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year’s flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.
* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.
* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, radishes and squash.
* Plant onion sets.
* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias.
* Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.
* Plant summer-blooming perennials, gladiolus and dahlia tubers.
* Transplant lettuce and kale seedlings.
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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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