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Dig In: Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 18



Plant amaryllis indoors now for winter bloom. (Photos: Debbie Arrington)


Smoky air complicates fall gardening; plant inside instead





Air too yucky to be outside? Garden indoors instead.

* Dust or rinse foliage of indoor plants. That greenery is helping purify your inside air. Give houseplants some TLC; a little misting can revitalize leaves. Remove any browned or damaged foliage. Water with half-strength fertilizer.

* Got bulbs? Pot some up for winter blooms indoors. Plant amaryllis, tulips, daffodils, hyacinths or other favorites in good fast-draining potting mix. Add 1 tablespoon bone meal to each pot before planting. Place bulbs at a shallow depth for faster growth and bloom. Water once, then place in a warm sunny window. Water as needed as bulbs sprout and grow.

* For holiday blooms indoors, plant paperwhite narcissus bulbs now. No soil is necessary.

Fill a shallow bowl or dish with 2 inches of rocks or pebbles. Place bulbs in the dish with the root end nestled in the rocks. Add water until it just touches the bottom of the bulbs. Place the dish in a sunny window. Add water as needed.
Apple Blossom amaryllis in bloom

Meanwhile, before going outside:

* Monitor air quality at
www.sparetheair.com . Particulate matter from the Camp Fire has created hazardous conditions. Sacramento hit 301 on the Air Quality Index on Friday, with forecasts improving to “unhealthy” for Sunday through Tuesday. With information from Sacramento Region air quality districts, the website includes forecasts and reports for several spots in the Valley and foothills. Air quality varies greatly.

* If you can see smoky air, stay indoors as much as possible. Limit outdoor exercise and exposure.

* Monitor temperatures, too. We’re entering frost season with overnight lows dipping below freezing. Protect sensitive plants.

* If frost is in the forecast, irrigate the garden. Moist soil is warmer than dry and hydrated plants better withstand low temperatures.

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Garden Checklist for week of Oct. 6

Get ready to get to work! Cooler weather is headed our way mid-week.

* Clean up the summer vegetable garden and compost disease-free foliage.

* Harvest pumpkins and winter squash.

* October is the best month to plant trees, shrubs and perennials.

* Before planting, add a little well-aged compost and bone meal to the soil, but hold off on other fertilizers until spring. Keep the transplants well-watered (but not wet) for the first month as they become settled.

* Dig up corms and tubers of gladioli, dahlias and tuberous begonias after the foliage dies. Clean and store in a cool, dry place.

* Treat azaleas, gardenias and camellias with chelated iron if leaves are yellowing between the veins.

* Now is the time to plant seeds for many flowers directly into the garden, including cornflower, nasturtium, nigella, poppy, portulaca, sweet pea and stock.

* Plant seeds for radishes, bok choy, mustard, spinach and peas.

* Plant garlic and onions.

* Set out cool-weather bedding plants, including calendula, pansy, snapdragon, primrose and viola.

* Reseed and feed the lawn. Work on bare spots.

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