Dig In: Garden checklist for week of July 14

Relief! Who knew that mere 90s would look so good?

Our July in hell may finally be switching from inferno to just plain hot. According to the National Weather Service, the “dangerous and record-breaking heat” that’s scorched the West since July 1 will let up this weekend. With thick cloud cover, Saturday morning (July 13) was noticeably cooler.

How hot was it this month? Ten out of the first 12 days of July hit triple digits in downtown Sacramento. July 6 and 11 both reach 110 – records for those days.

But Sunday starts a six-day streak of straight 90s, says the weather service. Tuesday and Wednesday will be the coolest, topping out at 93, as the Delta breeze reappears. Overnight lows will be comfortably in the 60s.

That’s still above normal; highs in July in Sacramento average 92 degrees, with lows of 58. But it’s definitely better than what we’ve experienced. Our tomatoes may finally start pollinating again.

Take advantage of this break in the heat. Your garden needs you!

* Keep your vegetable garden watered, mulched and weeded. Water before 8 a.m. to reduce the chance of fungal infection and to conserve moisture.

* Water, then fertilize vegetables and blooming annuals, perennials and shrubs to give them a boost.

* Feed vegetable plants bone meal or other fertilizers high in phosphate to stimulate more blooms and fruiting.

* Don’t let tomatoes wilt or dry out completely. Give tomatoes a deep watering two to three times a week.

* Harvest vegetables promptly to encourage plants to produce more. Squash especially tends to grow rapidly in hot weather. Keep an eye on zucchini.

* Pinch back chrysanthemums for bushy plants and more flowers in September.

* Remove spent flowers from roses, daylilies and other bloomers as they finish flowering.

* Pinch off blooms from basil so the plant will grow more leaves.

* Cut back lavender after flowering to promote a second bloom.

* It's not too late to add a splash of color. Plant petunias, snapdragons, zinnias and marigolds.

* From seed, plant corn, pumpkins, radishes, winter squash and sunflowers.