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Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Nov. 7

Damp soil makes for easier planting

Camellia leaves and buds
Camellias and azaleas can be fertilized now.
(Photo: Kathy Morrison)


November started out cool and damp – and will stay that way at least another week.

According to the National Weather Service, Sacramento can expect more showers Tuesday with up to another half inch of rain on the way. The rest of the week, cloud cover will keep daytime temperatures in the low to mid 60s. That same blanket of clouds will keep overnight lows relatively warm in the 50s.

After so much drought, it can be hard to remember: Is this normal? Average highs and lows for November are 64 and 43 degrees, respectively, says the weather service. November usually is one of Sacramento’s rainiest months, averaging more than 2 inches of precipitation.

Make the most of that damp soil and warm nights: Plant something!

* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs in the Sacramento area. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains. (And they love that warm soil.)

* 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 such as California poppies.

* Plant spring bloomers such 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.

* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.

* Fertilize camellias and azaleas.

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Garden Checklist for week of April 14

It's still not warm enough to transplant tomatoes directly in the ground, but we’re getting there.

* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.

* Smell orange blossoms? Feed citrus trees with a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants.

* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.

* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.

* Spring brings a flush of rapid growth, and that means your garden needs nutrients. Fertilize shrubs and trees with a slow-release fertilizer. Or mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost.

* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.

* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.

* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.

* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.

* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, radishes and squash.

* Plant onion sets.

* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias.

* Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.

* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom.

* Mid to late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Transplant lettuce seedlings. Choose varieties that mature quickly such as loose leaf.

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