Tuesday's rain gets new water year off to good start
Tuesday night's rain left reminders behind. We might get more rain next week. In the meantime, dump accumulated rainwater from buckets and plant saucers to prevent mosquitos from breeding there. Kathy Morrison
The answer: A firm maybe.
A refreshing break after last weekend’s 90-degree weather, the rain wasn’t a lot, but it was a start. Sacramento recorded 0.15 inches on Tuesday, almost as much as we get in most Octobers, says the National Weather Service. Next Monday, the weather service predicts a 35% chance of more light rain.
Historically, October in Sacramento averages 0.18 inches for the entire month.
We’re coming off a whopper of a water year. Stretching from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, our water year is a snapshot of our region’s rain and snow totals. The 2022-23 water year totaled 26.22 inches in Downtown Sacramento; that’s 7.02 inches more than Sacramento’s average for the past 30 years – 36.5% above normal.
Just as important for our water picture, the Sierra also had a bountiful water year. Blue Canyon, for example, recorded 92.09 inches of precipitation, way up from its average of 62.44.
Prospects of another wet winter are good. Warm water in the Pacific Ocean likely will fuel an El Niño weather system. El Niño systems typically soak California in mid to late winter.
But not always; some El Niño winters deliver a lot of storms to Southern California but not necessarily that much rain north of Fresno.
To be on the safe side, Sacramento-area gardeners and farmers should be prepared for more wet and cold conditions this winter. Dig up bulbs and tubers that could rot if left in the ground. Have frost protection ready to go early for tender plants. Don’t expect Christmas tomatoes; a cold November could prevent ripening.
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, the Central Valley can expect another wet winter plus some chilly nights. But most of our rain will arrive after the New Year.
“A strong El Niño means winter will be wetter than normal, with above-normal mountain snow,” the Almanac says in its 2023-24 winter forecast. “The stormiest, wettest periods will be in early and late January, early to mid-February, and mid-March. There will be a white Christmas across the Sierra Nevada mountains, but not in the valleys or along the coast.”
Expect some frost, too, maybe before Thanksgiving.
“Winter will be colder than normal throughout the region,” the Almanac predicted. “The coldest temperatures will occur in early and late November, early and late December, and late January.”
For more on Sacramento weather: https://www.weather.gov/sto/
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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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