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Danger signs of trees toppling, dropping branches


Look up at the limbs of redwoods and other evergreens to make sure no broken or damaged branches are about to fall.
(Photo: Debbie Arrington)
What to watch during wet, windy winter weather before things fall



What can make a massive 80-foot redwood topple over? Saturated soil and a strong gust of wind.

Sacramento has seen both this week as an atmospheric river pushed through record amounts of rain, accompanied by wicked winds.

According to the National Weather Service, Sacramento Executive Airport received a record 2.11 inches Wednesday, eclipsing the 1.22-inch mark for that date set back in 1979. Another 1 to 2 inches is forecast for Thursday and Friday, with wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph.

In such wet and windy weather, trees can be dangerous. They can drop limbs or uproot completely.

Years of drought have shrunk the root balls of many big trees, particularly coastal redwoods, making them especially vulnerable.

During these winter conditions, evergreens are at greatest risk. That includes redwood, pine, fir, spruce, juniper, cypress, yew and other trees that retain their foliage year round. Needles become saturated with rain, doubling or tripling their weight; that strains the branches and makes the whole tree top heavy. Foliage also is more apt to catch wind than bare branches.

Trees that grow close together offer each other support; their roots become intertwined and they hold each other up. Solitary lawn trees are more likely to fall.

So are trees that withered away during years of drought including elms, birches and other deciduous trees. Strong winds will knock dead or dying branches off trees of any kind.

What are the danger signs?

Some are obvious. The tree starts leaning; that’s not good. Cracks in the soil around the base of a tree may indicate root movement; that means it’s losing its stability.

Look up; are broken branches dangling above or caught in other branches? Are heavy limbs starting to droop down precariously? Are there signs of branches starting to separate at the trunk? Take photos and get help.

In these cases, call a certified arborist immediately. Rope off the area around the tree and stay off the surrounding soil until help comes. The tree may be stabilized before it actually falls.

For more advice on trees, contact the Sacramento Tree Foundation,
www.sactree.com .

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Garden checklist for week of May 10

Take it easy during that high heat – then get to work! Your garden is calling.

* Remember to irrigate your tender transplants. Seedlings need consistent moisture. Deep watering will help build strong roots and healthy plants. Water early in the morning for best results.

* 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. (You also can transplant seedlings for many of the same flowers.)

* 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.

* Put your veggie garden on a regular diet. Set up a monthly feeding program, and keep track on your calendar. Make sure to water your garden before applying any fertilizer to prevent “burning” your plants.

* 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.

* Don’t forget to weed! Those invaders are growing fast.

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Food in My Back Yard (FIMBY) Series

Lessons learned during a year of edible gardening

WINTER

Is edible gardening possible indoors?

Hints for choosing tomato seeds

Starting in seed starting

Why winter is the perfect time to plant fruit trees

When to plant? Consider staggering your transplants

How to squeeze more food into less space

Potatoes from the garden

Plant a fruit tree now -- for later

Win the weed war by tackling them in winter

Tips for planting bare-root trees, shrubs and vegetables

Time to give vegetable seedlings some more space

Ways to win the fight against weeds

FALL

Dec. 16: Add asparagus to your edible garden

Dec. 9: Soggy soil and what to do about it

Dec. 2: Plant artichokes now; enjoy for years to come

Nov. 25: It's late November, and your peach tree needs spraying

Nov. 18: What to do with all those fallen leaves?

Nov. 11: Prepare now for colder weather in the edible garden

Nov. 4: Plant a pea patch for you and your garden

Oct. 27: As citrus season begins, advice for backyard growers

Oct. 20: Change is in the autumn air 

Oct. 13: We don't talk (enough) about beets

Oct. 6: Fava beans do double duty

Sept. 30: Seeds or transplants for cool-season veggies?

Sept. 23: How to prolong the fall tomato harvest 

SUMMER

Sept. 16: Time to shut it down? 

Sept. 9: How to get the most out of your pumpkin patch

Sept. 2: Summer-to-fall transition time for evaluation, planning

Aug. 26: To pick or not to pick those tomatoes?

Aug. 19: Put worms to work for you

Aug. 12: Grow food while saving water

Aug. 5: Enhance your food with edible flowers

July 29: Why won't my tomatoes turn red?

July 22: A squash plant has mosaic virus, and it's not pretty

July 15: Does this plant need water?

July 8: Tear out that sad plant or baby it? Midsummer decisions

July 1: How to grow summer salad greens

June 24:  Weird stuff that's perfectly normal

SPRING

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