Gardening : Weekend Checklist for Dedicated Diggers and Planters

For dedicated gardeners, here are suggestions from the California Assn. of Nurserymen:

If you don’t want to pull weeds all summer, mulch around plants right now (both those in containers or in the ground) because it curbs weed growth.

Remove bulbs from the ground, or cut back foliage, only after the foliage is dry and crisp.

When you plant vegetables that need to climb on stakes, insert the stakes at the same time you plant to avoid disrupting the root system after it’s developed.

Feed roses after they bloom and spray with the water hose or use a systemic to keep aphids away.

Take indoor plants outdoors (but keep them in the shade) to wash off leaves and leach out harmful salts from the soil that have built up over the winter.