Dig In: Garden checklist for week of May 31

Break out the sunscreen; summer is arriving early.

After a roller-coaster May with 30-degree temperature swings, June will start on a warm note – and immediately get hotter.

According to the National Weather Service, the final weekend of May will see a rapid warm-up. After five consecutive days in the low 70s, Sacramento afternoon temperatures will be back in the high 80s. Normal for this weekend: 80 degrees.

This warming trend continues into the new month – and then some. The first week of June will mostly be in the low 90s, about 10 degrees above average. As far as our gardens are concerned, summer has arrived.

Along with the heat, gusty winds on Tuesday and Wednesday bring possible fire danger; avoid making sparks.

Get out in the early morning before temperatures start climbing. Mornings will be pleasantly in the 60s and 70s, says the weather service.

Remember to water early, too. Your fast-growing plants need that hydration; no more rain is in the immediate forecast.

* It’s not too late to transplant tomatoes, peppers, eggplant or other summer favorites. Make sure they stay hydrated.

* From seed, plant corn, melons, pumpkins, radishes, squash and sunflowers.

* Plant basil to go with your tomatoes.

* Transplant summer annuals such as petunias, marigolds and zinnias.

* It’s also a good time to transplant perennial flowers including astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia, salvia and verbena.

* Let the grass grow longer. Set the mower blades high to reduce stress on your lawn during summer heat. To cut down on evaporation, water your lawn deeply during the wee hours of the morning, between 2 and 8 a.m.

* Tie up vines and stake tall plants such as gladiolus and lilies. That gives their heavy flowers some support.

* Dig and divide crowded bulbs after the tops have died down.

* Feed summer flowers with a slow-release fertilizer.

* Mulch, mulch, mulch! This “blanket” keeps moisture in the soil longer and helps your plants cope during hot weather.

* Cut back fruit-bearing canes on berries.

* Feed camellias, azaleas and other acid-loving plants. Mulch to conserve moisture and reduce heat stress.

* Cut back Shasta daisies after flowering to encourage a second bloom in the fall.

* Trim off dead flowers from rose bushes to keep them blooming through the summer. Roses also benefit from deep watering and feeding now. A top dressing of aged compost will keep them happy. It feeds as well as keeps roots moist.

* Pinch back chrysanthemums for bushier plants with many more flowers in September.