For Your Gardens’ Winter Needs
For Your Gardens’ Winter Needs
It’s getting chilly and we smell the burning embers of last night’s fire when we show up early for work. Fall feels good and it’s time to get your garden ready for winter. Of course, I’m sure we will probably get a heat wave between now and ski season, but here are a couple things to think about with regard to your garden…
Planting
Plant Tulips after Thanksgiving.
Bulbs to plant now include anemone, crocus, daffodil, Dutch iris, freesia, homeria, hyacinth, ixia, leucojum, lycoris, oxalis, ranunculus, scilla, sparaxis, tritonia, and watsonia.
In the fog belt, plant cool-season vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage now. If you live in a warm inland valley, plant at the end of the month.
After midmonth, sow annuals such as African daisies (Dimorphotheca), California poppies, and clarkia; set out transplants of calendula, Iceland poppy, larkspur, nemesia (near the coast), pansy, snapdragon, stock, and viola.
As the weather cools, plant perennials such as campanula, candytuft, coreopsis, delphinium, dianthus, foxglove, gaillardia, geum, Mexican evening primrose, penstemon, phlox, salvia, and yarrow. Near the coast, set out cineraria and monkey flower.
Fertilizing, Maintenance
Apply high-nitrogen fertilizer to annuals, perennials, roses, and fall-planted vegetables.
Prevent citrus fruits from drying out as they mature by giving trees deep soakings during warm fall weather. Do not prune the trees now; pruning stimulates new growth that can be damaged by winter cold.
Dig, divide, and replant overcrowded perennials that have finished blooming. Use a spading fork to lift and loosen clumps of agapanthus, candytuft, coreopsis, daylily, Mexican evening primrose, and penstemon. With a spade or a sharp knife, cut clumps into sections through soil and roots. Before replanting divisions, weed and amend beds.
Rejuvenate cool-season lawns that you use; replace those that you don’t use with drought-tolerant ground covers, perennials, or shrubs.
If you have any questions, you know where to find me, in your garden or your neighbors garden, preparing For Your Gardens’ (winter) Needs.
Thanks,
Bret
