Sacramento Digs Gardening: Does winter solstice affect plants?

All these trees -- crape myrtle, ornamental cherry and valley oak -- will grow leaves again this spring, determining the sunlight and shade that any plants underneath receive.

Observation is key when planting in winter

Happy winter solstice!

Saturday, Dec. 21, is the first day of winter as well as the shortest day of the year. That also means Friday and Saturday are the longest nights with the most hours of darkness.

We people can cope with the extra darkness by turning on lights.

But how does the winter solstice affect plants?

Most of the plants we grow cope with winter darkness and short days just fine. The change of season (as well as temperature) prompts deciduous species to drop their leaves and go dormant until spring.

In some plants, winter’s shorter days and longer nights trigger blooming. That includes poinsettias, chrysanthemums, camellias and Christmas cactus. (That’s also why those plants are such popular holiday gifts.)

From Sunday on, the days get longer and nights shorter. But a sunny day in winter is not the same as one in summer due to the angle of the sun.

During winter months in Sacramento, the sun stays lower on the horizon and doesn’t generate the same warmth if shining directly overhead. That angle casts longer shadows, too, shading some plants that usually receive more sun.

On the other hand, plants that are usually shaded under deciduous trees get more sun in winter because those trees have dropped their leaves.

When planting (or planning to plant) in winter, take into consideration the differences in sun and shade in your garden. Blooming spring bulbs, for example, do just fine under dormant leafless trees, but can’t cope with the constant shade of evergreens. Likewise, that sunny spot under a naked maple won’t be sunny in summer.

Due to the changing sun angle, azaleas and other shrubs that appreciate afternoon shade may get it in winter but not in summer when they need it most.

Let this solstice be a reminder: Observation of sun and shade can be a key to garden success.

GENERAL GARDENING

An article about gardening.

Keywords:

sunlight gardening Sacramento solstice winter weather trees azaleas winter gardening evergreens leaves

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Food in My Back Yard Series

June 17: Help pollinators help your garden

June 10: Battling early-season tomato pests

June 3: Make your own compost

May 27: Where are the bees when you need them?

May 20: How to help tomatoes thrive on hot days

May 13: Your plants can tell you more than any calendar can

May 6: Maintain soil moisture with mulch for garden success

April 29: What's (already) wrong with my tomato plants?

April 22: Should you stock up on fertilizer? (Yes!)

April 15: Grow culinary herbs in containers

April 8: When to plant summer vegetables

April 1: Don't be fooled by these garden myths

March 25: Fertilizer tips: How to 'feed' your vegetables for healthy growth

March 18: Time to give vegetable seedlings some more space

March 11: Ways to win the fight against weeds

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

Feb. 11: When to plant? Consider staggering your transplants

Feb. 4: Starting in seed starting

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Garden Checklist for week of June 15

Make the most of this “average” weather; your garden is growing fast! (So are the weeds!)

* Warm weather brings rapid growth in the vegetable garden, with tomatoes and squash enjoying the heat. Deep-water, then feed with a balanced fertilizer. Bone meal can spur the bloom cycle and help set fruit.

* Generally, tomatoes need deep watering two to three times a week, but don’t let them dry out completely. That can encourage blossom-end rot.

* From seed, plant corn, melons, pumpkins, radishes, squash and sunflowers.

* Plant basil to go with your tomatoes.

* Transplant summer annuals such as petunias, marigolds and zinnias. It’s also a good time to transplant perennial flowers including astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia, salvia and verbena.

* Pull weeds before they go to seed.

* Let the grass grow longer. Set the mower blades high to reduce stress on your lawn during summer heat. To cut down on evaporation, water your lawn deeply during the wee hours of the morning, between 2 and 8 a.m.

* Tie up vines and stake tall plants such as gladiolus and lilies. That gives their heavy flowers some support.

* Dig and divide crowded bulbs after the tops have died down.

* Feed summer flowers with a slow-release fertilizer.

* Mulch, mulch, mulch! This “blanket” keeps moisture in the soil longer and helps your plants cope during hot weather. It also helps smother weeds.

* Thin grapes on the vine for bigger, better clusters later this summer.

* Cut back fruit-bearing canes on berries.

* Feed camellias, azaleas and other acid-loving plants. Mulch to conserve moisture and reduce heat stress.

* Cut back Shasta daisies after flowering to encourage a second bloom in the fall.

* Trim off dead flowers from rose bushes to keep them blooming through the summer. Roses also benefit from deep watering and feeding now. A top dressing of aged compost will keep them happy. It feeds as well as keeps roots moist.

* Pinch back chrysanthemums for bushier plants with many more flowers in September.

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