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The Claw returns to Sacramento streets

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED NOV 8, 2018

The Claw is coming for your leaves! Check the calendar to find out when. (Photo courtesy City of Sacramento)

Leaf Season officially begins with collection calendar

I love The Claw!

When I heard that metal-against-concrete scrape, I knew Sacramento Leaf Season had officially begun. As someone who does a lot of pruning and has a lot of leaves, I really appreciate The Claw's service. Now I know when to expect its visit.

Through Jan. 27, 2019, the City of Sacramento rolls out its leaf-collecting brigade of John Deere scoopers. This machine, affectionately nicknamed The Claw, grabs big piles of leaves, prunings and other garden waste that tends to overwhelm the City of Trees in late fall and winter.

According to the City of Sacramento, 10 to 15 crews will cruise city streets with Claws and rear-loading trucks. By the end of the season, they expect to pick up more than 54 million pounds of green waste.

Crews work six-day weeks including holidays and rainy weather. On average, it takes the leaf brigade 10 days to leaf sweep the city. Wind or storms can stretch that cycle to two weeks or more.
The city is trying to take the guesswork out of when The Claw arrives with a Collection Calendar. Find it at: https://bit.ly/2DtCXd7

Residents can plan ahead for when to put out piles for The Claw. The city suggests filling green waste containers for weekly pick-up before piling up material in the street; that makes the whole process go faster.

Some tips on leaf piles:
* Piles should be no more than 5 cubic yards. That's 4 by 4 by 9 feet, or the size of a small sports car.
* Limbs, branches and canes should be no more than 3 feet long and under 4 inches in diameter.
* Place pile at least 6 feet away from any obstructions (such as parked cars). Allow space between the pile and the curb to allow water to flow to storm drains. Try not to block bike lanes.
* No plastic bags; it's green waste only.
* No pet waste. (Put that in the garbage.)
For more tips: www.cityofsacramento.org .

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leaf brigade gardening Sacramento pruning The Claw green waste trees garden chores fall gardening leaves

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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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