Dig In: Garden checklist for week of March 31

As the old saying goes, April showers bring May flowers. We’re going to be able to test that firsthand.

April starts Monday and it’s – no fooling – going to be sunny and warm, says the National Weather Service. Sacramento is expected to see 73 degrees on Monday, the start of a short string of pleasant spring days.

By Thursday, the clouds return and so does a (slight) chance of showers. Instead of mid 70s, Sacramento will barely make it into the 60s. Highs of 61 degrees are forecast for Thursday and Friday – 10 degrees below average for this week.

Overnight lows will remain chilly. They’re expected to dip below 50 every night this week. On Friday, the low is forecast to be a shivery 42 – also below normal.

As long as air temperatures stay chilly, so do soil temperatures. Hold off transplanting any summer vegetables; the ground is still too cold.

Those warm days to start the week will kick growth into high gear. Expect to see lots of spring flowers opening – and abundant weeds.

* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.

* Smell orange blossoms? Feed citrus trees with a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants.

* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn.

* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.

* Spring brings a flush of rapid growth, and that means your garden is really hungry. Feed shrubs and trees with a slow-release fertilizer. Or mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost.

* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.

* 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. April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Transplant lettuce and cabbage seedlings.