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Spring Gardening Tips for a Flourishing Garden
As the vibrant colors of spring burst forth and the air fills with the sweet scent of blossoms, it's the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and tend to your garden. Whether you're a seasoned gar...
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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 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
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