August starts with cooler temperatures and opportunity to get things done
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Give citrus its last dose of fertilizer, but be sure to water the tree deeply beforehand.This also is a good time to thin some of the fruit to prevent breakage of limbs later. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)
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Say goodbye to triple-digit heat! (At least for a little while.)
Temperatures are expected to continue to cool down for the first week of August. According to the National Weather Service, Sacramento won’t even get out of the 80s on Sunday and will stay in the low 90s most of the coming week. Overnight lows are mild, too, dipping down to the mid to low 60s.
That may seem cool after a red-hot July, but it’s actually on the warm side for the month to come. Average for August in Sacramento: High of 91 and low of 58.
Of course, the next warm-up isn’t far away. The weather service predicts 99 degrees next weekend.
Make the most of this mild summer weather by showing your garden some TLC.
*Feed citrus trees their last round of fertilizer for the year. This will give a boost to the fruit that’s now forming. Make sure to water deeply first.
* Harvest tomatoes, beans, squash, pepper and eggplants to prompt plants to keep producing. Give your plants a deep watering twice a week, more if planted in containers.
* Watch out for caterpillars and hornworms in the vegetable garden. They can strip a plant bare in one day. Pick them off plants by hand in early morning or late afternoon.
* Give summer vegetables a boost with phosphate-rich fertilizer to help fruiting. Commercial fertilizers need available moisture in the soil to activate and plants need water to absorb nutrients. Always water before feeding.
* Camellia leaves looking a little yellow? Feed them some chelated iron. That goes for azaleas and gardenias, too.
* Pick up after your fruit trees. Clean up debris and dropped fruit; this cuts down on insects and prevents the spread of brown rot. Then, feed fruit trees with slow-release fertilizer for better production for next year.
* Pinch off dead flowers from perennials and annuals to lengthen their summer bloom.
* Deadhead roses.
* Sow seeds of perennials in pots for fall planting including yarrow, coneflower and salvia.
* In the garden, direct seed beets, carrots, leaf lettuce and turnips.
* Transplant pumpkins.
* Plant potatoes in boxes with straw.
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Dig In: Garden Checklist
For week of March 26:
Sacramento can expect another inch of rain from this latest storm. Leave the sprinklers off at least another week. Temps will dip down into the low 30s early in the week, so avoid planting tender seedlings (such as tomatoes). Concentrate on these tasks before or after this week’s rain:
* Fertilize roses, annual flowers and berries as spring growth begins to appear.
* Knock off aphids with a strong blast of water or some bug soap as soon as they appear.
* Pull weeds now! Don’t let them get started. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout.
* Prepare summer vegetable beds. Spade in compost and other amendments.
* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.
* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to help corral blossom blight.
* Feed citrus trees, which are now in bloom and setting fruit.
To prevent sunburn and borer problems on young trees, paint the exposed portion of the trunk with diluted white latex (water-based) interior paint. Dilute the paint with an equal amount of cold water before application.
* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.
* Seed and renovate the lawn (if you still have one). Feed cool-season grasses such as bent, blue, rye and fescue with a slow-release fertilizer. Check the irrigation system and perform maintenance. Make sure sprinkler heads are turned toward the lawn, not the sidewalk.
* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and kale.
* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground.
* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.
* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.
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