Sacramento Digs Gardening: Dig In: Garden checklist for week of April 14

These tomato seedings, protected from the expected rain, are just about ready to go in the ground. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)

Good planting weather: A little more rain, then lots of sun

Is your garden ready for spring extremes?

The week ahead will have yet more rain with a soggy Monday in the forecast. Overnight lows dip into the 40s on Tuesday, then a string of warm days will push Sacramento afternoon temperatures into the low and mid 80s by Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

What will that do to your newly planted garden? The extra moisture will encourage deep roots. Those balmy days will prompt rapid growth.

Such conditions make this prime time for planting summer vegetables, flowers and more. Watch out for fungal disease, aphids and weeds!

* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.

* Smell orange blossoms? Feed citrus trees with a low dose of balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) during bloom to help set fruit. Keep an eye out for ants.

* Apply slow-release fertilizer to the lawn. It will green up almost overnight.

* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.

* Start setting out tomato, pepper and eggplant seedlings.

* 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.

* Late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Weed, weed, weed! Pull them out before they flower and go to seed.

CHECKLIST FOR THE WEEK

Your weekly checklist of activities in the garden.

Keywords:

Sacramento pests garden chores spring planting citrus trees fertilizer weather seedlings gardening summer vegetables summer annuals rainfall bulbs perennials flowers weeds

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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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