Garden checklist: Dig into National Garden Week. (Sacramento, it's not too late to plant tomatoes.)

Now that temperatures are cooling off (a little), it's time to celebrate National Garden Week. Sponsored by the National Garden Clubs, this annual commemoration encourages gardeners of all ages to share their love of growing plants of all kinds.
The theme for this year's National Garden Week, which continues through June 9, is "Plant America." In special events across the country, garden clubs are helping to plant new school and community gardens, enhancing old public spaces or beautifying blighted areas.

Is it too late to plant a summer vegetable or flower garden in Sacramento? No! The first week of June is usually a good window to squeeze in heat-loving vegetables and flowers. Remember: They need water, especially as temperatures stay toasty.

Here's what to plant now in the greater Sacramento area:
* Transplant tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, squash and melons. In tomatoes, look for fast-maturing varieties such as Early Girl.
* From seed, plant corn, beans, pumpkins, melons, 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.

-- Debbie Arrington