Dig In: Garden checklist for week of April 26
It’s tomato planting time – and a lot more.
Recent rain has refreshed soil moisture (and relieved drought worries). That ground is nice and pliable; just waiting for you to dig in.
Sacramento soaked up plenty of extra rain this month. According to the National Weather Service, downtown Sacramento totaled 3.43 inches (including a record 1.24 inches Tuesday, April 21) through April 24, with six days to go. The entire month of April averages 1.15 inches.
May is coming soon – and so is a return to warmer spring weather.
Clouds and breezy conditions will keep temperatures on the cool side Sunday with an afternoon high of 67. But by Friday, expect a high of 80 degrees and overnight low of 51, says the weather service. Average for April in Sacramento: Highs of 71 and lows of 46.
Moist soil and warm days can bring rapid growth in the spring garden – including weeds. Tackle them before they take over.
Expect lots of flowers to burst into bloom this week – if they haven’t already peaked. Roses and other spring favorites are flowering about three weeks ahead of normal.
* Swing into action in the vegetable garden – if you haven’t already. As nights warm up over 50 degrees, set out tomato, pepper and eggplant transplants. (April 28 is Sacramento’s unofficial tomato planting day!)
* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, radishes and squash. Plant onion sets. Wait until May to plant pumpkins.
* 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.
* April also 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 (if you have one).
* Thoroughly clean debris from the bottom of outdoor ponds or fountains.
* Spring brings a flush of rapid growth, and that means your garden needs nutrients. Give shrubs and trees a slow-release fertilizer. Mulch with a 1-inch layer of compost.
* Azaleas and camellias looking a little yellow? If leaves are turning yellow between the veins, give them a boost with chelated iron.
* 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. But don’t let mulch pile up around trunks or stems.
