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Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Dec. 4

December gets off to a soggy start – just what we need

Raindrops give a whole different look to this heavenly bamboo shrub (aka nandina).

Raindrops give a whole different look to this heavenly bamboo shrub (aka nandina). Kathy Morrison

Keep your umbrella handy this week; we’re in for a lot of wet weather. Considering how dry this year has been, that’s welcome news.

According to the National Weather Service, possible rain is in the forecast for all this weekend plus more showers on Monday, Tuesday morning and all day Friday. These off-and-on storms should total more than 1.2 inches of rain.

On top of the 0.58 inches that Sacramento received Thursday, that’s a solid start to December’s rain totals. Historically, December averages 3.25 inches.

All this cloud cover is keeping temperatures right around average for early December. Forecast highs are in the low to mid 50s all week; December highs in Sacramento average 54. Lows should stay above freezing, too, which is normal; our average low for December is 38.

What to do between raindrops? Here are some suggestions:

* Prune non-flowering deciduous trees and shrubs after they’ve lost their leaves.

* Clean and sharpen garden tools before storing for the winter.

* Brighten the holidays with winter bloomers such as calendulas, Iceland poppies, pansies, snapdragons and primroses.

* Keep poinsettias in a sunny, warm location – out of the chilly rain. Water thoroughly.

* Rake and remove dead leaves and stems from dormant perennials.

* Just because it rained doesn't mean every plant got watered. Give a drink to plants that the rain didn't reach, such as under eaves or under evergreen trees.

* Bare-root season has begun. Plant bare-root berries, kiwifruit, grapes, artichokes, horseradish and rhubarb. But beware of soggy soil. It can rot bare-root plants.

* It’s your last chance to plant spring bulbs such as daffodils, crocuses, anemones and scillas. Don’t forget the tulips and hyacinths chilling in the refrigerator.

* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers and spring flowers such as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.

* Plant lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, chard and other leafy greens.

* Plant garlic and onions.

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Garden Checklist for week of March 30

Your garden doesn’t mind April showers. Get busy now to enjoy those future flowers.

* Get ready to swing into action in the vegetable garden. As nights warm up over 50 degrees, start setting out tomato, pepper and eggplant transplants.

* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, radishes and squash. (Soak beet seeds overnight in water for better germination,)

* 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.

* Transplant lettuce and cabbage seedlings.

* 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.

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