Dig In: Garden checklist for week Feb. 23

Spring-like weather brings out rapid new growth on roses. Watch out for aphids. (Photo: Debbie Arrington)

Unusually warm weather brings rapid growth

By Debbie Arrington

Spring arrived really early. Our current stretch of warm, dry weather continues with high temperatures 10 degrees or more above normal.

Those afternoons in the 70s are expected to continue, probably through next weekend, says the National Weather Service. And they could be record setting. Sacramento’s record high for February: 76 degrees.

Hold off planting tomatoes or other heat lovers. Accompanying that warmth will be cold nights, keeping the soil cool, too.

Our dry spell could be record making. This February could be the driest ever in Sacramento. The rain total this month: Zero. Normal: 3.5 inches.

With all this spring-like weather, plants are responding with rapid growth, particular roses – and weeds.

On the roses, watch out for aphids and early fungal diseases. Knock the aphids off with a strong blast of water. If you haven’t already, remove any foliage leftover from last season or that may have accumulated under the bush. That harbors blackspot and rust. Powdery mildew loves warm days, too.

As for the weeds, remove them before they get any bigger. They’ll grow faster than your vegetables!

* This is the last chance to spray fruit trees before they bloom. Treat peach and nectarine trees with copper-based fungicide. Spray apricot trees at bud swell to prevent brown rot. Apply horticultural oil to control scale, mites and aphids on fruit trees soon after a rain. But remember: Oils need at least 24 hours to dry to be effective. Don’t spray during foggy weather.

* Feed spring-blooming shrubs and fall-planted perennials with slow-release fertilizer. Feed mature trees and shrubs after spring growth starts.

* Fertilize strawberries and asparagus.

* Transplant or direct-seed several flowers, including snapdragon, candytuft, lilies, astilbe, larkspur, Shasta and painted daisies, stocks, bleeding heart and coral bells.

* In the vegetable garden, plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers, and strawberry and rhubarb roots.

* Transplant cabbage and its close cousins -- broccoli, kale and Brussels sprouts -- as well as lettuce (both loose leaf and head).

* Indoors, start peppers, tomatoes and eggplant from seed.

* Plant artichokes, asparagus and horseradish from root divisions.

* Plant potatoes from tubers and onions from sets (small bulbs). The onions will sprout quickly and can be used as green onions in March.

* From seed, plant beets, chard, lettuce, mustard, peas, radishes and turnips.

* Plant perennials such as Shasta daisies, columbine and delphinium.

* Plant summer-flowering bulbs including cannas, calla lilies and gladiolus.