Around the Yard

Things to do this week:

* Plant summer color. Now that spring’s bedding plants are finished, you can replace them with summer’s--ageratum, celosia, bedding dahlia, gloriosa daisy, marigold, petunia, portulaca, verbena, zinnia and the like. Several new developments worth looking for: the “Tropical Fruit” colors in the Sundial strain of portulacas, the wild-looking plume celosias and the many new kinds and colors of verbena.

In the shade, try bedding begonias, browallia, impatiens, mimulus and forget-me-nots. Or coleus and caladiums for a change. There are also those new yellow and orange Seashell impatiens.

* Renew mulch. To keep the soil from cracking and drying this summer, keep it covered with a light mulch of tree chips or shredded bark. Mulches also save some water and moderate soil temperatures, keep down dust and prevent mud after irrigation.

Next best to a mulch is to make sure you lightly cultivate the soil surface between irrigations, which makes it easier for water to soak in and helps keep soil from cracking.