More dry weather creates winter planting window
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| Not only is it the right time to plant new roots of artichoke, horseradish, strawberry and rhubarb, it's also perfect to clean up and replant older strawberry plants, as above. (Photo: Kathy Morrison) |
How dry we are! Our rainless weather pattern continues.
According to the National Weather Service, Sacramento has a 0% chance of rain between now and next weekend. January, usually one of our wettest months, will end with only 0.05 inches of precipitation – 3.6 inches below normal.
February also is tracking on the dry side. A “normal” February in Sacramento averages nearly 3.6 inches, too.
Right now, the only moisture in the forecast is patchy morning ground fog. That fog will keep temperatures cool, with afternoon highs around 60 degrees and overnight lows in the high 30s.
While we sure could use the rain, make good use of this pleasant winter weather:
* Finish winter pruning. That includes roses and most dormant trees or shrubs.
* This is the last chance to spray fruit trees before they bloom. Treat peach and nectarine trees with copper-based fungicide. Spray apricot trees at bud swell to prevent brown rot. Apply horticultural oil to control scale, mites and aphids on fruit trees soon after a rain. But remember: Oils need at least 24 hours to dry to be effective. Don’t spray during foggy weather.
* Feed spring-blooming shrubs and fall-planted perennials with slow-release fertilizer.
* Fertilize strawberries and asparagus.
* Indoors, start peppers, tomatoes and eggplant from seed.
* Plant bare-root roses, berries and fruit trees.
* Transplant or direct-seed several flowers, including snapdragon, candytuft, lilies, astilbe, larkspur, Shasta and painted daisies, stocks, bleeding heart and coral bells.
* In the vegetable garden, plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers plus artichoke, horseradish, strawberry and rhubarb roots.
* Transplant cabbage, broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts as well as lettuce (both loose leaf and head).
* Plant seed potatoes and onion sets (small bulbs).
* From seed, plant beets, chard, lettuce, mustard, peas, radishes and turnips.
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Food in My Back Yard Series
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March 4: Potatoes from the garden
Feb. 25: Plant a fruit tree now -- for later
Feb. 18: How to squeeze more food into less space
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Garden Checklist for week of May 18
Get outside early in the morning while temperatures are still cool – and get to work!
* Plant, plant, plant! It’s prime planting season in the Sacramento area. 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. Transplant seedlings for many of the same flowers.
* Plant dahlia tubers.
* 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.
* Are birds picking your fruit off trees before it’s ripe? Try hanging strips of aluminum foil on tree branches. The shiny, dangling strips help deter birds from making themselves at home.
* As spring-flowering shrubs finish blooming, give them a little pruning to shape them, removing old and dead wood. Lightly trim azaleas, fuchsias and marguerites for bushier plants.
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