→ View All
Katz Amsterdam Foundation Continues Vital Partnership with Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation, Investing $250,000 to Help Transform Local Mental Health Support
Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation (TTCF) has partnered once again with the Katz Amsterdam Foundation (KAF). At the end of 2023, the collaboration helped distribute $250,000 in grant funding to fo...
Roseville Urban Forest Foundation
Listed under: Environment Agriculture, Food & Gardening Sustainability
Warm weather brings rapid snow melt – and cold water
The warm May weather means melon plants (these are Ambrosias), as well as squash, pumpkins and cucumbers, pop up quickly from seed. Keep seedlings watered and mulched as they mature. Kathy Morrison
Typical for May, Sacramento can expect more warm days this week, says the National Weather Service. What’s not so typical is the Sierra snow pack, which is melting rapidly. Higher-than-normal temperatures accompanied by thunderstorms are turning those snow caps into runoff, filling local rivers and streams with very icy water.
Although it may be tempting to plunge into the American or Sacramento rivers, watch out!
“It's going to be another warm weekend, with above-average temps throughout much of the valley and foothills, with a 15-30% chance of isolated thunderstorms in the mountains,” tweeted the NWS Sacramento office. “Remember that though the air is HOT, the water is COLD. Think twice before getting in!”
That cold water is good news for farmers and gardeners. It looks like we’ll have ample supplies for this summer’s crops.
As for those temperatures, forecast highs for Sacramento top out at 94 degrees Monday, says the weather service. Normal for this week: 80 degrees. Lows are on the high side, too, with 58 degrees forecast for Monday and Tuesday.
Breezy conditions later this week will bring some relief; forecast highs for Wednesday through Friday are 77 to 79 degrees.
Make the most of this warm spring weather. If you haven’t already, plant your summer vegetables.
* Time to set out those tomato transplants along with peppers and eggplants. Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.
* Direct-seed melons, cucumbers, summer squash, corn, radishes, pumpkins and annual herbs such as basil.
* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.
* In the flower garden, direct-seed sunflowers, cosmos, salvia, zinnias, marigolds, celosia and asters. For faster flowers, transplant seedlings for many of the same plants.
* Plant dahlia tubers. Other perennials to set out include verbena, coreopsis, coneflower and astilbe.
* Transplant petunias, marigolds and perennial flowers such as astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia and verbena.
* Keep an eye out for slugs, snails, earwigs and aphids that want to dine on tender new growth.
* Feed summer bloomers with a balanced fertilizer.
* For continued bloom, cut off spent flowers on roses as well as other flowering plants.
* Don’t forget to water. Seedlings need moisture. Deep watering will help build strong roots and healthy plants.
* Put your veggie garden on a regular diet. Set up a monthly feeding program, and keep track on your calendar. Make sure to water your garden before applying any fertilizer to prevent “burning” your plants.
Comments
Your weekly checklist of activities in the garden.
Sacramento Digs Gardening to your inbox.
Taste Spring! E-cookbook
Find our spring recipes here!
Local News
Thanks to our sponsor!
Sites We Like
Garden Checklist for week of May 19
Temperatures will be a bit higher than normal in the afternoons this week. Take care of chores early in the day – then enjoy the afternoon. It’s time to smell the roses.
* Plant, plant, plant! It’s prime planting season in the Sacramento area. If you haven’t already, it’s time to set out those tomato transplants along with peppers and eggplants. Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.
* In the flower garden, direct-seed sunflowers, cosmos, salvia, zinnias, marigolds, celosia and asters.
* Add mulch to the garden to help keep that precious water from evaporating. Mulch also cuts down on weeds. But don’t let it mound around the stems or trunks of trees or shrubs. Leave about a 6-inch to 1-foot circle to avoid crown rot or other problems.
Taste Summer! E-cookbook
Find our summer recipes here!
Taste Fall! E-cookbook
Find our fall recipes here!
Taste Winter! E-cookbook
Find our winter recipes here!
You are subscribed!
Look for our confirmation message in your email inbox.
And look for our newsletter every Monday morning. See you then!
You're already subscribed
It looks like you're already subscribed to the newsletter. Not seeing it in the email inbox of the address you submitted? Be sure to check your spam folder or promotions folder (Gmail) in case your email provider diverted it there.
There was a problem with the submitted email address.
We can't subscribe you with the submitted email address. Please try another.