More pleasant days are expected; time to get things done
Plant nasturtiums, poppies, sweet peas and other flower seeds now for blooms in early spring. Kathy Morrison
Thinking about making some landscape renovations? Now may be the right time to pick up your shovel and get to work.
October is ideal for planting trees, shrubs and perennials in our area. Soil is still warm and helps roots grow strong before the chill (and stress) of winter sets in. And pleasant daytime temperatures entice gardeners to get outside – and get busy.
According to the National Weather Service, Sacramento can expect the last of the 90-degree-plus days on Monday, with high temperatures dropping slightly into the upper 80s for the rest of the week. Normal high for this second week of October is 82 degrees. Night-time lows continue in the mid 50s – in other words, perfect fall weather.
Just make sure whatever you transplant receives enough moisture. Give plants a deep soaking so they can settle in and get growing.
These warm days and nights will prompt summer vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers to keep producing a little while longer. Thanksgiving tomatoes are possible.
Warm nights also will keep leaves green. Fall foliage with its rich golds and oranges won’t show up until later this month when overnight temperatures dip into the low 40s. Judging by the 30-day forecast, that may not be until sometime around Halloween.
* Clean up the summer vegetable garden and compost disease-free foliage.
* Harvest pumpkins and winter squash as they mature.
* Dig up corms and tubers of gladioluses, 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.
* Chill tulip and hyacinth bulbs in the refrigerator before planting. They need about six weeks of cold before going in the ground.
* Want early spring flowers? Plant seeds for 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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Garden Checklist for week of Nov. 10
Make the most of gaps between raindrops this week and get stuff done:
* Rake and compost leaves, but dispose of any diseased plant material. For example, if peach and nectarine trees showed signs of leaf curl this year, clean up under trees and dispose of those leaves instead of composting.
* Give your azaleas, gardenias and camellias a boost with chelated iron.
* For larger blooms, pinch off some camellia buds.
* After they bloom, chrysanthemums should be trimmed to 6 to 8 inches above the ground. If in pots, keep the mums in their containers until next spring. Then, they can be planted in the ground, if desired, or repotted.
* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while dormant.
* Pull faded annuals and vegetables.
* Prune dead or broken branches from trees.
* Keep planting bulbs to spread out your spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.
* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Now is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.
* Set out cool-weather annuals such as pansies and snapdragons.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Plant garlic and onions.