Dig In: Garden checklist for week of April 26

Ready, set, plant! Get those tomato seedlings in this week.

(Photo: Kathy Morrison)

Feel the heat? Time to plant tomatoes

By Debbie Arrington

Who’s ready to plant some tomatoes?

With so much warm weather, it’s likely you already have a few seedlings in the ground. We just had our first 90-degree day of 2020. According to the National Weather Service, several more days will see afternoons in the 80s.

In other words, it’s tomato planting time!

Sacramento’s traditional tomato planting day is April 28 – popularized by radio host Farmer Fred Hoffman. That also happens to be his birthday.

Lots of other summer favorites can go in the ground now, too, including squash, eggplant, peppers, melons and sunflowers.

Remember to keep your new transplants and seed beds hydrated; they can dry out quickly on these warm afternoons.

* April 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.

* Late April is about the last chance to plant summer bulbs and tubers, such as gladiolus, dahlias and tuberous begonias.

* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, radishes and squash.

* Plant onion sets.

* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias.

* Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.

* Transplant one last round of fast-growing leaf lettuce as well as summer favorites.

* 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.

* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.