Cardamom and turmeric are the surprising ingredients
Poblano pepper gives a nice kick to Oaxacan-inspired dish
Seasonal condiment pairs well with chips or seafood
Sacramento Digs Gardening to your inbox.
Sites We Like
Garden Checklist for week of Oct. 27
It's still great weather for gardening. Grab a sweater – and an umbrella, just in case – then get to work:
* October is the best month to plant trees, shrubs and perennials.
* Harvest pumpkins and winter squash.
* Pick apples and persimmons. Remember to pick up fallen fruit, too; it attracts pests.
* Clean up the summer vegetable garden and compost disease-free foliage.
* 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.