Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Aug. 23

Ash from the wildfires accumulates on a rose leaf. Give plants a rinse in the morning to get rid of the smoky residue. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)

From Sunday through Tuesday, dangerous weather systems will be blowing across Northern California. The NWS says expect “frequent cloud-to-ground lightning, little to no rain, gusty and erratic winds.” Extremely high fire danger is also forecast.

Plus it will be hot with afternoon temperatures still in the high 90s.

A similar storm system brought disastrous consequences last weekend as more than 12,000 lightning strikes touched off about 550 fires, according to CalFire. Smoke from ongoing wildfires, including two of the biggest in California history, still chokes the air throughout the Central Valley.

Concentrate gardening time in the early morning, when temperatures are cooler:

* Water deeply. Give shrubs and trees a deep soaking. Container plants may need daily watering.

* Got ash? Give your plants a gentle morning shower, rinsing off the accumulated grime from leaves.

* To remove the gritty ash from your harvest, gently scrub fruit and vegetables with a vegetable brush and a little dish soap. Fully submerge leafy greens in water with a teaspoon of dish soap, then rinse.

* Don’t fertilize. Under these weather conditions, feeding can add to stress to plants instead of promoting growth.

* Tomatoes won’t turn fully red during high temperatures. Pick mature tomatoes and let them ripen (and redden) on the kitchen counter.

* Watch out for sunburn. Shade tomatoes, peppers and eggplant still on the vine.

* Pick up and discard fallen fruit and decaying vegetables to avoid pest problems.

* Get to work on your cool-season garden. Plant lettuce, cabbage, broccoli and other winter favorites indoors. Transplant seedling outdoors in September.