Fall weather (including some rain) arrives as we 'fall back' to standard time; remember to reset your clocks
This Roman Warrior tomato very likely won't get a chance to turn red outside. High temperatures are dropping this next week into the 60s. Best to pick the remaining green tomatoes and let them ripen indoors. Kathy Morrison
As we prepare to “fall back,” our weather is definitely turning towards autumn with cooler temperatures and some definite rain.
According to the National Weather Service, Northern California can expect to get wet in the next few days. But how much rain?
“Another round of showers is forecasted next week beginning on Monday,” tweeted the NWS Sacramento office. “Higher rainfall totals are expected north of I-80 and in higher elevations. You can check your local forecast by visiting http://weather.gov/sto and typing in your city or zip code!”
Clouds will start rolling in on Sunday along with a big drop in temperatures. After summery days in the 80s, Sacramento’s forecast high on Sunday is only 71 degrees – and it gets cooler from there. The weather service predicts highs in the low to mid 60s all next week.
As of Saturday morning, Sacramento can expect 0.1 to 0.25 inches from this storm – not enough to turn off the irrigation, but it’s a start.
More rain is on the way, too. A second light storm is expected to arrive Friday – just in time to dampen next weekend.
Make the most of moist soil; finish planting your cool-season garden.
And don’t forget to turn back your clocks before you go to bed Saturday night; standard time returns Sunday. “Enjoy the extra hour of sleep,” says the weather service. “You’ve earned it with the darker mornings and evenings.”
* This damp, cool weather likely will finish off the last of the tomatoes. Pick the green tomatoes to ripen indoors and pull the vines.
* Pull other faded annuals and vegetables.
* Prune dead or broken branches from trees.
* Plant bulbs for spring bloom. Some possible suggestions: daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, tulips, anemones and scillas.
* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers.
* 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.
* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.
* Plant garlic and onions.
* Now is the time to plant seeds for many flowers directly into the garden, including cornflower, nasturtium, nigella, poppy, portulaca, sweet pea, sweet alyssum, bachelor buttons and stock.
* Plant seeds for radishes, bok choy, mustard, spinach and peas.
* 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 July 21
Your garden needs you!
* Keep your vegetable garden watered, mulched and weeded. Water before 8 a.m. to reduce the chance of fungal infection and to conserve moisture.
* Feed vegetable plants bone meal, rock phosphate or other fertilizers high in phosphate to stimulate more blooms and fruiting. (But wait until daily high temperatures drop out of the 100s.)
* Don’t let tomatoes wilt or dry out completely. Give tomatoes a deep watering two to three times a week.
* Harvest vegetables promptly to encourage plants to produce more. Squash especially tends to grow rapidly in hot weather. Keep an eye on zucchini.
* Pinch back chrysanthemums for bushy plants and more flowers in September.
* Remove spent flowers from roses, daylilies and other bloomers as they finish flowering.
* Pinch off blooms from basil so the plant will grow more leaves.
* Cut back lavender after flowering to promote a second bloom.
* It's not too late to add a splash of color. Plant petunias, snapdragons, zinnias and marigolds.
* From seed, plant corn, pumpkins, radishes, winter squash and sunflowers.
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