Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Feb. 9

This week, Mother Nature reminds us in often-sunny Sacramento: It’s still winter!

In fact, we’re in store for some of the coldest nights we’ve had in months. “Widespread frost” is forecast by the National Weather Service for the wee hours of Sunday, Monday and Tuesday mornings. The weather service also predicts that there’s a 50-50 chance Sacramento will dip below 32 degrees early Monday or Tuesday.

Make sure to protect sensitive plants and tender seedlings. Succulents may be particularly vulnerable.

By Wednesday night, the threat of frost disappears as a major storm rolls in. The rain and cloud cover will keep nighttime temperatures above freezing – but daytime temperatures won’t be warm. Expect afternoons in the mid to low 50s.

As for that rain, the weather service expects Sacramento will get 1 to 2 inches from this next storm, starting Wednesday. We’re going to stay soggy through Friday, Valentine’s Day.

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, stock, 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.