Dig In: Garden checklist for week of March 1

Happy March! Our recent sunny days woke up our gardens – and gardeners, too. It’s time to spring into action.

March typically is warm in Sacramento; our historic average high for the month is 65 degrees. But it’s the soil temperature and overnight lows that really count. March lows average 44 degrees – too cold for those baby tomatoes no matter how warm the afternoon.

After February went out on a warm 75-degree note, March will start with a string of partly cloudy days and highs in the upper 60s, says the National Weather Service. While thunderstorms are forecast for the upper Sacramento Valley, few if any sprinkles should reach Sacramento.

With a dry (for now) forecast, make the most of this coming week. It may not be spring, but your plants sure think so.

* Fertilize roses, annual flowers and berries as spring growth begins to appear.

* Pull weeds now! Don’t let them get started. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout.

* Start preparing vegetable beds. Spade in compost and other amendments.

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.

* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to help corral blossom blight.

* Feed citrus trees, which are now in bloom and setting fruit. To prevent sunburn and borer problems on young trees, paint the exposed portion of the trunk with diluted white latex (water-based) interior paint. Dilute the paint with an equal amount of cold water before application.

* Feed roses with a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10, the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium available in that product).

* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs and trees after they bloom. Try using well-composted manure, spread 1-inch-thick under the tree. This serves as both fertilizer and mulch, retaining moisture while cutting down on weeds.

* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.

* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and cole family plants such as broccoli, collards and kale.

* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground. (Soaking beet seeds first improves germination.)

* Before the mercury starts inching upward, this is your last chance to plant such annuals as pansies, violas and primroses.

* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.

* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.

* Seed and renovate the lawn (if you still have one). Feed cool-season grasses such as bent, blue, rye and fescue with a slow-release fertilizer. Check the irrigation system and perform maintenance. Make sure sprinkler heads are turned toward the lawn, not the sidewalk.