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Dig In: Garden checklist for week of May 16

Cooler conditions are perfect for planting

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED MAY 15, 2021

It's always exciting to see flowers on vegetable plants, but this pepper was just planted, so it's better to remove the early flowers and let the plant concentrate

its energy on establishing its roots. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)

What a difference a few clouds make!

This weekend, a Sierra-bound storm system significantly cooled high temperatures in the greater Sacramento area. The foothills may see thunderstorms, but most of that moisture will miss the valley.

The good news: Those cloudy, breezy conditions dropped high temperatures 15 degrees. And according to the National Weather Service, those lower temperatures will stick around. Instead of the mid 90s, afternoon highs will barely nudge 80 – which is the average high for mid-May in Sacramento. Our days will be mostly sunny in the 70s all week, with overnight lows staying comfortably in the 50s.

So, plant something! These are near-perfect conditions for transplanting tomatoes and other summer veggies as well as annuals or perennials. Our May weather won’t get any better than this.

* 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.

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

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

* Plant dahlia tubers.

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

* 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.

* Don’t forget to water. Seedlings need moisture. Deep watering will help build strong roots and healthy plants.

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Garden Checklist for week of May 5

Survey your garden after the May 4 rainstorm. Heavy rain and gusty winds can break the neck of large flowers such as roses. Also:

* Keep an eye on new transplants or seedlings; they could take a pounding from the rain.

* Watch out for powdery mildew. Warmth following moist conditions can cause this fungal disease to “bloom,” too. If you see a leaf that looks like it’s dusted with powdered sugar, snip it off.

* After the storm, start setting out tomato transplants, but wait on the peppers and eggplants (they want warmer nights). Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.

* 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, pumpkins, 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.

* Don’t wait; plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.

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