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Dry, warm February includes unwanted buzz


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Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED FEB 11, 2020
With so many bulbs and other plants blooming, it might as well be spring. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)

Mosquitoes out early; is drought on horizon?



Unusually warm and dry temperatures may make it feel like spring, but they also bring notes of caution from Sacramento weather watchers.

Monday’s high of 73 degrees tied a Sacramento record, with 72 degrees forecast for Tuesday. By contrast, our “normal” for early February daytime highs is 60 degrees.

What’s more alarming is the lack of moisture. So far, February – usually among the rainiest months – has been bone dry. Historically in Sacramento, this month averages more than 3.5 inches of precipitation.

With such dry weather, forecasters have been mentioning the dreaded “D” word – drought. After tracking almost normally, our rain year has fallen far off pace. According to the National Weather Service, Sacramento Executive Airport reports 6.14 inches total rain since Oct. 1, the start of our rain year. Last year, it measured 10.48 inches through Feb. 10. “Normal” to date is 11.19 inches.

What’s worse is that 6 inches is only a third of the 18-inch “normal” rain year total. That means new rounds of conservation measures may be coming soon.

According to the NWS, the driest Sacramento February on record was way back in 1899 – only .04 inches. In more recent decades, February 1995 saw only .19 inches, but that followed widespread flooding in January of that year.

A consequence of all this warmth: Mosquitoes. They’re out early – and hungry. According to the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District, these early biters are a species that overwintered in rice fields that surround Sacramento. This warmth woke up the bugs, and they’re now aggressively seeking first blood. They’ll follow people and pets indoors in search of a meal.

Don’t let these pests make themselves at home. Empty any standing water outdoors. Wear long sleeves and long pants when working in the garden.

For more mosquito-busting tips: Fightthebite.net .

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GENERAL GARDENING

An article about gardening.

Keywords:
vector control Sacramento winter weather drought February record highsm weather mosquitoes gardening National Weather Service early spring rainfall

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Sites We Like

  1.  UCCE Master Gardeners of Sacramento County
  2. Farmer Fred's GardenBasics.net
  3. UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden
  4. Shepard Garden and Arts Center
  5. Placer County Master Gardeners
  6. El Dorado County Master Gardeners
  7. Yolo County Master Gardeners

Garden Checklist for week of April 21

This week there’s plenty to keep gardeners busy. With no rain in the immediate forecast, remember to irrigate any new transplants.

* Weed, weed, weed! Get them before they flower and go to seed.

* 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 is really hungry. Feed 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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