Sacramento Digs Gardening: Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Oct. 6

Add violas or other cool-weather bedding plants to your garden for

some cheery color. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)

Sunny conditions perfect for transplanting; when wind gusts, watch out for sparks

Pleasant days and warm nights make this week ideal for transplanting. If you attended any of the plant sales this weekend, that's great news.

According to the National Weather Service, Sacramento should expect sunny and breezy conditions with highs in the 80s and lows in the 50s. That keeps the soil warm -- great for root development.
Some areas will experience much more than breeze, with wind gusts up to 35 mph. Coupled with extremely low humidity, those winds have brought out a Red Flag Warning. With the threat of extreme fire danger, use extra care when operating lawn and garden equipment or anything else that may cause sparks. Even in suburbia, fire can spread rapidly when conditions are like this.

With a hose handy, here are some early October tasks to tackle:
* October is the best month to plant trees, shrubs and perennials. If you need to move a plant, consider doing it now.
* Reseed and feed the lawn. Work on bare spots.
* Set out cool-weather bedding plants, including calendula, pansy, snapdragon, primrose and viola.
* 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.
* Dig up corms and tubers of gladioli, dahlias and tuberous begonias after the foliage dies. Clean and store in a cool, dry place.
* Keep an eye on pumpkins and winter squash.
* Harvest apples and pears.

CHECKLIST FOR THE WEEK

Your weekly checklist of activities in the garden.

Keywords:

cool-weather annuals seeds Sacramento garden chores lawn squash weather fall planting gardening cool-weather vegetables checklist bulbs perennials flowers

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Garden Checklist for week of May 5

Survey your garden after the May 4 rainstorm. Heavy rain and gusty winds can break the neck of large flowers such as roses. Also:

* Keep an eye on new transplants or seedlings; they could take a pounding from the rain.

* Watch out for powdery mildew. Warmth following moist conditions can cause this fungal disease to “bloom,” too. If you see a leaf that looks like it’s dusted with powdered sugar, snip it off.

* After the storm, start setting out tomato transplants, but wait on the peppers and eggplants (they want warmer nights). Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.

* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.

* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.

* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.

* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, radishes and squash.

* Plant onion sets.

* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias. Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.

* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom.

* Don’t wait; plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.

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