Windy conditions will keep temperatures below average during last days of spring
Tomatoes are in progress! They're developing nicely as we move into summer. Kathy Morrison
Hold onto your hat – and your trellises, too. According to the National Weather Service, we’re in for a windy weekend – and cooler temperatures.
The NWS Sacramento office says to expect “locally gusty onshore winds this weekend. Avoid outdoor burning. Secure loose outdoor items and temporary structures.”
In Sacramento, expect gusts of 20 to 25 mph on Sunday, Father’s Day, with the breeze building in intensity after 5 p.m. That pattern repeats almost every day this next week; light breezes earlier in the day with gusty conditions in late afternoon and early evening.
These breezes will keep temperatures down. After a normal high of 86 on Saturday, Sacramento will be back in the 70s on Monday and Tuesday with high temperatures hanging in the low 80s through next weekend.
Nights will be on the cool side, too. After a 60-degree low on Sunday night, overnight temperatures will dip down into the low 50s. Average low for mid-June in Sacramento: 56 degrees.
Unlike recent days, we’ll see little cloud cover; those breezes will make for very sunny skies.
Make the most of these last days of spring and dive into serious summer gardening (preferably before the wind kicks up).
Although temperatures will be below our June averages, it’s still plenty warm for fast-developing tomatoes, squash and peppers. Keep plants evenly watered and they’ll keep growing strong.
* Mulch, mulch, mulch! That wind can dry out soil. This “blanket” keeps moisture in the soil longer and helps your plants cope during summer weather.
* Tie up vines and stake tall plants such as gladiolus and lilies. That gives their heavy flowers some support (especially during windy conditions).
* Let the grass grow longer. Set the mower blades high to reduce stress on your lawn during summer heat. To cut down on evaporation, water your lawn deeply during the wee hours of the morning, between 2 and 8 a.m.
* Dig and divide crowded bulbs after the tops have died down.
* Feed summer flowers with a slow-release fertilizer.
* Avoid pot “hot feet.” Place a 1-inch-thick board under container plants sitting on pavement. This little cushion helps insulate them from radiated heat.
* Thin grapes on the vine for bigger, better clusters later this summer.
* Cut back fruit-bearing canes on berries.
* Feed camellias, azaleas and other acid-loving plants. Mulch to conserve moisture and reduce heat stress.
* Cut back Shasta daisies after flowering to encourage a second bloom in the fall.
* Trim off dead flowers from rose bushes to keep them blooming through the summer.
* Pinch back chrysanthemums for bushier plants with many more flowers in September.
* From seed, plant corn, melons, pumpkins, radishes, squash and sunflowers.
* Plant basil to go with your tomatoes.
* Transplant summer annuals such as petunias, marigolds and zinnias.
* Transplant perennial flowers including astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia, salvia and verbena.
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Food in My Back Yard Series
March 18: Time to give vegetable seedlings some more space
March 11: Ways to win the fight against weeds
March 4: Potatoes from the garden
Feb. 25: Plant a fruit tree now -- for later
Feb. 18: How to squeeze more food into less space
Feb. 11: When to plant? Consider staggering your transplants
Feb. 4: Starting in seed starting
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Garden Checklist for week of March 16
Make the most of dry breaks between showers. Your garden is in high-growth mode.
* Pull weeds now! Don’t let them get started. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout.
* Prepare 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.
* Feed roses with a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in that product).
* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch-thick under the tree (but avoid piling it up around the trunk). This serves as both fertilizer and mulch, retaining moisture while cutting down on weeds.
* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.
* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and cole family plants, such as cauliflower, broccoli, collards and kale.
* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground. (To speed germination, soak beet seeds overnight in room-temperature water before planting.)
* Before the mercury starts inching upward, this is your last chance to plant such annuals as pansies, violas and primroses.
* 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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