Dig In: Garden checklist for week of May 23

Which way the wind blows? Depends on the day, says the National Weather Service.

While Northern California’s mid-May heat wave starts to subside, gusty winds will steadily pick up, the weather service predicts. On Memorial Day, Sacramento will likely experience southerly winds with gusts of 20 to 25 mph from west to south. These winds are strong enough to bring down tree branches and make driving difficult.

On Wednesday, those winds do a 180, blowing in the opposite direction. The weather service says to expect northerly winds with 25 mph gusts blowing north to east.

Coupled with above-average heat and low humidity, those winds can bring fire danger. One spark can cause a fast-moving blaze. Avoid using power tools with metal blades or making sparks outdoors. For example, skip the lawnmower; use a string trimmer instead.

Temperature wise, Sacramento will see a slight cooldown on Tuesday (May 26), dipping down into the upper 70s. That precedes a string of afternoons topping out around 80 degrees – normal for late May in Sacramento. Overnight lows will hover around 54 degrees, also average for this month.

Overall, May has been unusually hot; Sacramento temperatures are averaging 3.5 degrees warmer day or night than historic highs and lows, says the weather service. Two days (May 11 and 21) set new record highs (94 each day).

Take advantage of this “normal” week and get stuff done. Your garden needs you.

* Plant, plant, plant! It’s prime planting season in the Sacramento area. Time to set out those tomato transplants along with peppers and eggplants. Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.

* Support with trellises, cages or stakes rapidly growing tomatoes, peppers, eggplants or other tall crops that may get knocked around in those gusty winds.

* Direct-seed melons, cucumbers, summer squash, corn, radishes, pumpkins and annual herbs such as basil.

* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.

* In the flower garden, direct-seed sunflowers, cosmos, salvia, zinnias, marigolds, celosia and asters. (You also can transplant seedlings for many of the same flowers.)

* Plant dahlia tubers. 

* Transplant petunias, marigolds and perennial flowers such as astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia and verbena.

* Remember to irrigate your tender transplants. Seedlings need consistent moisture. Deep watering will help build strong roots and healthy plants. Water early in the morning for best results.

* Keep an eye out for slugs, snails, earwigs and aphids that want to dine on tender new growth.

* Feed summer bloomers with a balanced fertilizer.

* For continued bloom, cut off spent flowers on roses as well as other flowering plants.

* Put your veggie garden on a regular diet. Set up a monthly feeding program, and keep track on your calendar. Make sure to water your garden before applying any fertilizer to prevent “burning” your plants.

* As spring-flowering shrubs finish blooming, give them a little pruning to shape them, removing old and dead wood. Lightly trim azaleas, fuchsias and marguerites for bushier plants.

* Don’t forget to weed! Those invaders are growing fast.