New Year starts like the old year ends — kind of soggy
Oranges should be getting ripe about now, but "store" them on the tree until needed -- they'll get sweeter. Kathy Morrison
Thanks to storms before and after Christmas, we’re back on track for an above-average water year.
According to the National Weather Service, Sacramento received almost 4.5 inches for December as of midnight Friday (Dec. 29); that’s more than an inch above average for the month – and doesn’t count Saturday’s showers.
More rain is in the forecast with possible storms coming through Tuesday night into Wednesday and again on Friday, says the weather service. That could make for some pretty soggy soil; be careful where you step in your garden. Soil can compact easily in these conditions. If it’s too wet, put off any digging until next week.
Temperatures will remain on the warm side for New Year’s in Sacramento. The weather service predicts afternoon highs mostly in the upper 50s with lows in the 40s; averages for this week are 54 and 39 degrees, respectively.
Between storms, we can expect some sunny breaks and opportunities to get outside. It’s time to show our gardens some New Year TLC.
* These storms likely knocked down the last leaves from trees. Rake them away from drains. Make sure to keep gutters clear.
* Rake dead leaves away from perennials. Cut back and divide chrysanthemums. Divide day lilies, Shasta daisies and other clumps.
* Prune, prune, prune. Now is the time to cut back most deciduous trees and shrubs. The exceptions are spring-flowering shrubs such as lilacs.
* Now is the time to prune most deciduous fruit trees. Clean up leaves and debris around the trees to prevent the spread of disease.
* Don’t apply horticultural oils or copper sprays this week; there’s too much moisture for them to be effective. Wait until we have more consecutive days of sun.
* Prune roses, even if they’re still trying to bloom. Strip off any remaining leaves, so the bush will be able to put out new growth in early spring.
* Clean up leaves and debris around your newly pruned roses and shrubs. Put down fresh mulch or bark to keep roots cozy.
* Transplant pansies, violas, calendulas, English daisies, snapdragons and fairy primroses.
* In the vegetable garden, plant fava beans, head lettuce, mustard, onion sets, radicchio and radishes.
* Plant bare-root asparagus and root divisions of rhubarb.
* In the bulb department, plant callas, anemones, ranunculus and gladiolus for bloom from late spring into summer.
* When forced bulbs sprout, move them to a cool, bright window. Give them a quarter turn each day so the stems will grow straight.
* Browse through seed catalogs and start making plans for spring and summer.
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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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