Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Dec. 3

Just like last year, December starts wet. But instead of an atmospheric river, we’ve got a week full of drizzle. Keep your umbrella handy, but don’t expect a lot of rain.

Saturday’s showers were just a taste of what’s to come the next six days in Sacramento. According to the National Weather Service, more showers are expected Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with foggy conditions in between.

But our rain totals will remain modest – less than 0.2 inches for the whole week. That compares to 2.33 inches for the first five days of December 2022.

All that cloud cover will keep the weather comparatively warm, with highs in the low to mid 60s and overnight lows in the high 40s. Those moderate temperatures will help new transplants, which will appreciate the damp soil, too.

Typically, December is among the rainiest months in Sacramento, averaging 3.25 inches. Temperature-wise, December averages highs of 54 and lows of 38.

Make the most of gaps between raindrops. This is a busy month!

* Windy conditions brought down a lot of leaves. Make sure to rake them away from storm drains.

* Use those leaves as mulch around frost-tender shrubs and new transplants.

* 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 eves or under evergreen trees. Also, well-watered plants hold up better to frost than thirsty plants.

* Prune non-flowering trees and shrubs while they're dormant.

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

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

* Keep poinsettias in a sunny, warm location. Water thoroughly. After the holidays, feed your plants monthly so they'll bloom again next December.

* Plant one last round of spring bulbs including daffodils, crocuses, hyacinths, anemones and scillas. Get those tulips out of the refrigerator and into the ground.

* This is also a good time to seed wildflowers such as California poppies.

* Plant such spring bloomers as sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.

* Late fall is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. This gives them plenty of time for root development before spring growth. They also benefit from fall and winter rains.

* Lettuce, cabbage and broccoli also can be planted now.

* Plant garlic and onions.

* Bare-root season begins. Plant bare-root berries, kiwifruit, grapes, artichokes, horseradish and rhubarb. Beware of soggy soil. It can rot bare-root plants.