Sacramento Digs Gardening: Dig In: Garden checklist for week of Dec. 8

Those are limes on the right, not lemons -- they're ripening and need to be picked soon. The satsuma mandarins on the left should be harvested, too. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)

After soggy start, dry gardening days ahead

Despite the soggy start, this week looks like it will have prime winter gardening weather.

According to the National Weather Service, Sacramento can expect several dry days after Sunday showers taper off. High temperatures will be comfortably in the 50s.

It's time to rake the lawn! (Photo:

Debbie Arrington)

It's time to get outside and take care of business. Tidy up the mess left by the weekend's wind and rain. Rake up fallen leaves. Pick up citrus knocked down by wind. Make sure gutters are clear of debris.

Then, take advantage of that nice moist soil. Plant something. December starts bare-root season with new roses and fruit trees coming into nurseries or available online. It's also a good time to move dormant perennials.

Here are other early December tasks to add to your list:

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

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

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

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

* Plant for spring, too, including sweet pea, sweet alyssum and bachelor buttons.

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

* Plant garlic and onions.

* Harvest lemons and other early citrus.

* Pick the last of the persimmons, pomegranates, pears and apples.

CHECKLIST FOR THE WEEK

Your weekly checklist of activities in the garden.

Keywords:

harvest seeds Sacramento winter weather onions garden checklist citrus fruit bare-root plants leaves winter annuals gardening garlic pruning soil saturation rainfall

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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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