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Dig In: Garden checklist for week of June 13

Prepare for more triple-digit heat coming soon

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED JUN 12, 2021

Sunflowers are easy to grow in summer -- and the bees love them. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)

Make the most of a weekend in the 80s. More heat is on the way.

According to the National Weather Service, our cool break is over. Sacramento could see 103 degrees on Thursday. That will be followed by plenty of days in the 90s.

What did you expect? Summer is right around the corner.

* Deep-water shrubs and trees before the heat arrives. Check soil moisture. Make sure water reaches 6 inches deep.

* Weed, weed, weed! Pull out invasive plants before they flower and set seed. Be on the lookout for bindweed and nutsedge.

* Mulch, mulch, mulch! That will help retain moisture as well as smother weeds. Mulch keeps your plants’ roots comfortable on hot days, as well as cut down on work. For best results, spread 3 to 4 inches of wood chips, dried leaves, straw or other organic mulch (not rocks). Leave a 6-inch circle around trunks or main stems to avoid crown rot.

* From seed, plant beans, corn, melons, pumpkins, radishes, squash and sunflowers.

* Plant basil to go with your tomatoes.

* Add instant color to the garden with petunias, marigolds and zinnias.

* Transplant perennial flowers including astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia, salvia and verbena.

* Feed summer flowers with a slow-release fertilizer. Water before and after fertilizing.

* Dig and divide crowded daffodils and other bulbs after the tops have died down.

* Thin grapes on the vine for bigger, better clusters later this summer.

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Dig In: Garden Checklist

For week of June 4:

Because of the comfortable weather, it’s not too late to set out tomato and pepper seedlings as well as squash and melon plants. They’ll appreciate this not-too-hot weather. Just remember to water.

* From seed, plant corn, pumpkins, radishes, melons, squash and sunflowers.

* Plant basil to go with your tomatoes.

* Transplant summer annuals such as petunias, marigolds and zinnias.

* It’s also a good time to transplant perennial flowers including astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia, salvia and verbena.

* Let the grass grow longer. Set the mower blades high to reduce stress on your lawn during summer heat. To cut down on evaporation, water your lawn deeply during the wee hours of the morning, between 2 and 8 a.m.

* Tie up vines and stake tall plants such as gladiolus and lilies. That gives their heavy flowers some support.

* Dig and divide crowded bulbs after the tops have died down.

* Feed summer flowers with a slow-release fertilizer.

* Mulch, mulch, mulch! This “blanket” keeps moisture in the soil longer and helps your plants cope during hot weather.

* Thin grapes on the vine for bigger, better clusters later this summer.

* Cut back fruit-bearing canes on berries.

* Feed camellias, azaleas and other acid-loving plants.

* Trim off dead flowers from rose bushes to keep them blooming through the summer. Roses also benefit from deep watering and feeding now. A top dressing of aged compost will keep them happy. It feeds as well as keeps roots moist.

* Pinch back chrysanthemums for bushier plants with many more flowers in September.

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