December gets off to a soggy start – just what we need
Raindrops give a whole different look to this heavenly bamboo shrub (aka nandina). Kathy Morrison
Keep your umbrella handy this week; we’re in for a lot of wet weather. Considering how dry this year has been, that’s welcome news.
According to the National Weather Service, possible rain is in the forecast for all this weekend plus more showers on Monday, Tuesday morning and all day Friday. These off-and-on storms should total more than 1.2 inches of rain.
On top of the 0.58 inches that Sacramento received Thursday, that’s a solid start to December’s rain totals. Historically, December averages 3.25 inches.
All this cloud cover is keeping temperatures right around average for early December. Forecast highs are in the low to mid 50s all week; December highs in Sacramento average 54. Lows should stay above freezing, too, which is normal; our average low for December is 38.
What to do between raindrops? Here are some suggestions:
* Prune non-flowering deciduous trees and shrubs after they’ve lost their leaves.
* Clean and sharpen garden tools before storing for the winter.
* Brighten the holidays with winter bloomers such as calendulas, Iceland poppies, pansies, snapdragons and primroses.
* Keep poinsettias in a sunny, warm location – out of the chilly rain. Water thoroughly.
* Rake and remove dead leaves and stems from dormant perennials.
* Just because it rained doesn't mean every plant got watered. Give a drink to plants that the rain didn't reach, such as under eaves or under evergreen trees.
* Bare-root season has begun. Plant bare-root berries, kiwifruit, grapes, artichokes, horseradish and rhubarb. But beware of soggy soil. It can rot bare-root plants.
* It’s your last chance to plant spring bulbs such as daffodils, crocuses, anemones and scillas. Don’t forget the tulips and hyacinths chilling in the refrigerator.
* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and spring flowers such as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.
* Plant lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, chard and other leafy greens.
* Plant garlic and onions.
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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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