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Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Jan. 13


Some patio plants may need more moisture;
others caught enough rain.
(Photo: Debbie Arrington)
Work around storms; plan for spring



Rain dictates our garden activity this week as Sacramento continues to get a good January soaking.

According to the
National Weather Service , Sacramento Executive Airport has received 1.64 inches so far this month, slightly ahead of normal (1.28) for that 12-day period. That brings us up to 6.52 inches for the rain season, which started Oct. 1. That’s still an inch below average, but closing the gap.

More storms are forecast Monday through Thursday, so take advantage of this weekend’s break in the weather for any outdoor tasks:

* Where is rain water flowing? Make sure it doesn’t accumulate near foundations. Direct rain to flow away from structures. Are low spots draining?

* Clear out any debris that may have clogged storm drains, gutters or downspouts.

* Dump water that may have accumulated in saucers under potted plants or in pots themselves. Containers can become over-saturated, drowning roots.

* Not everything got watered by rain. Check plants under eaves, on patios or under large evergreens. They may still need a drink.

* Jot some notes on your garden calendar. How much rain did your garden get? Consider getting a rain gauge.

* Prune, prune prune. Tackle roses now.

* All this moisture has weeds sprouting. Whack them while they’re young.

* Plant bare-root roses, fruit trees, ornamental shrubs and berries.

* Compile a list of what to grow this spring and summer.

* Inventory your leftover seed packets. Most seeds remain viable two to three years after their suggested planting date. Many stay viable much longer.

* Browse seed catalogs or seed company websites; order early for best selection.

* Start tomato and pepper seeds indoors.

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Garden Checklist for week of May 18

Get outside early in the morning while temperatures are still cool – and get to work!

* Plant, plant, plant! It’s prime planting season in the Sacramento area. Time to set out those tomato transplants along with peppers and eggplants. Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.

* Direct-seed melons, cucumbers, summer squash, corn, radishes, pumpkins and annual herbs such as basil.

* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.

* In the flower garden, direct-seed sunflowers, cosmos, salvia, zinnias, marigolds, celosia and asters. Transplant seedlings for many of the same flowers.

* Plant dahlia tubers.

* Transplant petunias, marigolds and perennial flowers such as astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia and verbena.

* Keep an eye out for slugs, snails, earwigs and aphids that want to dine on tender new growth.

* Feed summer bloomers with a balanced fertilizer.

* For continued bloom, cut off spent flowers on roses as well as other flowering plants.

* Are birds picking your fruit off trees before it’s ripe? Try hanging strips of aluminum foil on tree branches. The shiny, dangling strips help deter birds from making themselves at home.

* As spring-flowering shrubs finish blooming, give them a little pruning to shape them, removing old and dead wood. Lightly trim azaleas, fuchsias and marguerites for bushier plants.

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