Smart Gardening Tips

Winter gardens have a beauty all their own and November is the time to plant hearty cool season flowers, trees and vegetables.

Certain Flowers Thrive in Cool Weather:  Plant fall annuals such as pansies, violas, primrose and calendula so they will be in full fall and winter bloom. Perennials including nemesia, godetia and schizanthus are also good choices for a richly varied fall and winter flower garden.

Keep Lawns Healthy: Rake falling leaves from lawns as leaves could impede lawn growth. If a lawn is looking “tired,” sow in annual rye seeds to cover brown spots and to introduce new growth. After seeding, scatter a light covering of soil amendment and water thoroughly.

Plant Trees Now: Fall is the ideal time to plant trees. Our fall climate, with cool nights, mild days and moderate rainfall, gives trees a strong beginning that will serve them well when growing season begins in spring. Just about every tree type can benefit when planted in fall. The key to success is to select a planting location that is best suited for the tree type. Take into account the tree’s rate of growth, root configuration, leaf type (evergreen or deciduous), tree shape and ultimate height at maturity. Make sure the site you select has enough sun. Other issues: is the selected location on a slope where watering may be difficult? Is it near a walkway or patio where in a few years roots may cause a problem? Will the tree at maturity be too big for the site? Better to answer these questions now or you may find yourself trying to extract a tree and its roots when it outgrows its location.

Winter Vegetable Garden: You can enjoy fresh vegetables even during winter months by planting cool-season vegetables including beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, cauliflower, lettuce, onions, turnips and rutabaga. Plant fall herbs including oregano, garlic, rosemary and thyme.



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February weather can be a big question mark. The month can bring an abundance of warm, spring-type weather or rain soaked, wintery days. Regardless of temperature and moisture variations, gardeners can get a jump on their spring gardens by planting a variety of flowers and vegetables in February.

Summer Bulbs: Time to pull out summer bulbs from the refrigerator and plant them. These bulbs include tulips, crocus, amaryllis, daffodils and delphiniums. Some bulbs can be purchased and planted without the chilling process and should be in stock at nurseries. They include Dutch iris, lily, gladiolus and begonia.

Plant Vegetables: Warmer temperatures give gardeners the green light to plant asparagus, onions, beets, Brussels sprouts, cilantro, chives, lettuce, rutabaga and morrow squash. These hardy plants can withstand a quick blast of cold temperatures and still grow vigorously. In warmer inland areas, plant tomatoes at the end of the month. Fruit will appear by Memorial Day.

Save Money, Plant From Seed: One easy way to save money in the garden this year is to plant from seed instead of buying mature plants from the nursery. Flower seeds that can be planted now for spring and summer-blooms include Bachelor buttons, California poppy, larkspur and wildflowers.

Plant An Herb Garden: Mild winters enable Southern California gardeners to begin planting herbs in February. Plant chive, cilantro, dill, fennel, mint and parsley even if more rain is in the forecast.

Tackle Weeds Now: Rain promotes winter weeds. Remove weeds with a hoe before they get too big. Don’t put weeds in a compost pile. If you do, the resulting mulch will spread weed seeds throughout your garden.



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