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Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Jan. 6


Use bypass pruners for pruning roses.
Always a good idea to sharpen them
beforehand. (Photo: Debbie Arrington)
Work around storms during rainy early January



January's first weekend is wet. And that's normal; January typically is Sacramento's rainy month.

According to the National Weather Service, Sacramento can expect two big doses of deep-soaking rain, maybe three, in the next four days. About a half inch was expected Saturday, followed by another half inch Sunday night. More rain is forecast for Wednesday.

In addition, strong gusts of wind -- up to 43 mph -- are forecast for Sacramento through Monday. That combination of wet ground and gusty wind can be dangerous. Keep an eye out for toppling trees and shrubs, especially new transplants. Evergreens may drop branches.

The forecast starting Thursday calls for sunny skies and highs nudging 60. Wait until then for most outdoor chores. In between storms or when the sun comes out, here's what should be on your garden to-do list:

* Turn off the sprinklers for another week.
* Browse the new seed catalogs and start making plans for spring and summer.
* Prune, prune, prune. Now is the time to cut back most deciduous trees and shrubs. The exceptions are spring-flowering shrubs such as lilacs.
* Prune deciduous fruit trees, except apricots and cherries. Clean up leaves and debris around the trees to prevent the spread of disease.
* Prune roses, even if they’re still trying to bloom. Strip off any remaining leaves, so the bush will be able to put out new growth in early spring.
* Clean up leaves and debris around your newly pruned roses and shrubs. Put down fresh mulch or bark to keep roots cozy.
These navels can be harvested now. But you can "store" them
on the tree for the time being. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)
* Harvest citrus as it ripens. Navel oranges, lemons and mandarins are ready now.
* Add some instant color. Transplant pansies, violas, calendulas, English daisies, snapdragons and fairy primroses.
* In the vegetable garden, plant fava beans, head lettuce, mustard, onion sets, radicchio and radishes.
* Plant bare-root asparagus and root divisions of rhubarb.
* Plant callas, anemones, ranunculus and gladiolus for bloom from late spring into summer.

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Garden Checklist for week of Feb. 9

Be careful walking or working in wet soil; it compacts easily.

* Keep the irrigation turned off; the ground is plenty wet with more rain on the way.

* February serves as a wake-up call to gardeners. This month, you can transplant or direct-seed several flowers, including snapdragon, candytuft, lilies, astilbe, larkspur, Shasta and painted daisies, stocks, bleeding heart and coral bells.

* In the vegetable garden, plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers, and strawberry and rhubarb roots.

* Transplant cabbage and its close cousins – broccoli, kale and cauliflower – as well as lettuce (both loose leaf and head).

* Indoors, start peppers, tomatoes and eggplant from seed.

* Plant artichokes, asparagus and horseradish from root divisions.

* Plant potatoes from tubers and onions from sets (small bulbs). The onions will sprout quickly and can be used as green onions in March.

* From seed, plant beets, chard, lettuce, mustard, peas, radishes and turnips.

* Annuals are showing up in nurseries, but wait until the weather warms up a bit before planting. Instead, set out flowering perennials such as columbine and delphinium.

* Plant summer-flowering bulbs including cannas, calla lilies and gladiolus.

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