Dig In: Garden checklist for week of April 21

Our weather roller-coaster continues. But for now, we’re on the sunny side of these spring fluctuations.

A week after chilling storms and shivery afternoon highs below 50 degrees, Sacramento is back in the 80s.

According to the National Weather Service, our sunshine will stick around at least a few more days. Highs of 84 degrees are forecast for both Sunday and Monday with overnight lows in the 53- to 55-degree range.

Then we slide back into early spring mode Tuesday with a high of only 73 degrees predicted. We’ll stay in the low 70s for the rest of the week with partial sun and breezy conditions. Lows will dip down to the mid 40s. That’s actually normal for mid-April in Sacramento; for this week, we average highs and lows of 71 and 46 degrees, respectively.

What this all means: It’s not quite warm enough to set out the tomato transplants, but they likely could go in the ground next week.

In the meantime, there’s plenty to keep gardeners busy. With no rain in the immediate forecast, remember to irrigate any new transplants.

* Weed, weed, weed! Get them before they flower and go to seed.

* 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 for nutrients. Give shrubs and trees 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, 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.

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

* Transplant lettuce seedlings. Choose varieties that mature quickly such as loose leaf.