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JANUARY GARDEN
CHORES FOR THE CENTRAL VALLEY,
FOOTHILLS & BAY AREA
Wait until next month before pruning any perennials, shrubs
or trees that were injured during December's freezing
mornings. If it gets really cold again, those open wounds
may invite further disaster.
Be sure to rake up and discard all the fallen leaves around
your rose bushes, which may be harboring next season's pest
problems.
Plan on spraying your deciduous fruit trees again this
month. This will help control peach leaf curl. Your local
nurseryperson can direct you to the right shelf for the
product that's intended for your particular fruit tree
variety.
Clean and sharpen all your pruning tools when you're done.
Don't put them away wet and dirty, which can encourage the
formation of rust.
Think about what you want in your summer garden, then hit
the catalogs or seed racks at your local nursery.
If crabgrass is a problem in your yard, control it now with
a preemergent, before it germinates next month.
Winter-flowering plants need a feeding with a balanced
fertilizer to keep blooming in these cold months. Among
those that should be fed: primroses, stock, calendula,
snapdragons, iceland poppies, pansies and violas.
Bare root plants are available at nurseries now. Choose from
a wide assortment of fruit trees, roses, grapes and
berries.
Artichokes and gladiolus can be planted this month. Plant a
few gladiolas every three weeks until July for a continuous
bloom from spring until fall.
Camellias at the nurseries will be in bloom now; choose one
that catches your eye.
Start tomato and pepper seeds indoors in small containers or
peat pots, either on a sunny window sill or beneath
flourescent lights.
Now is the good time for pruning deciduous fruit trees,
grapes and roses. If you're unsure how to proceed, check
with your favorite nurseryperson. Two good books on the
subject include Ortho's "All About Pruning" and Sunset's
"Pruning Handbook".
When selecting bare root roses, look for those with a grade
number of one. These are the healthiest roses
available.
Perennials that can be divided now include shasta daisies
and day lilies.
Plan on spraying your deciduous fruit trees one more time
before Valentine's Day. A copper-based spray will help
control peach leaf curl and brown rot.
Apply a dormant oil spray on your roses and deciduous fruit
trees now. This will suffocate spring and summer pests,
including scale.
Pre-emergents, applied now to your lawn, can help stop the
summertime onslaught of crabgrass.
When planting bare root fruit trees, make sure they will be
in an area with good drainage.
Add a splash of winter color to your porch or patio. Pot up
transplants of primrose, cyclamen, pansy and calendula, now
appearing at area nurseries.
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FEBRUARY
GARDEN CHORES FOR THE CENTRAL VALLEY,
FOOTHILLS & BAY AREA
# Tend to your summer shade garden
this week. Start colorful tuberous begonias indoors now.
Move them outside in late March.
#Early February is a good time to
start seeds of tomatoes and peppers indoors.
# Remove old flowers on camellias to
reduce the chance of petal blight.
# Place three inches of mulch around
trees and shrubs to keep weeds under control. Keep the mulch
at least an inch away from the trunks and stems to avoid
rot.
# Azaleas in bloom are arriving at
stores now. Head to your favorite garden center for best
selection.
# Mid-February is the best time to
apply your final (or only) application of dormant spray for
peach leaf curl, brown rot and scale on your stone fruit
trees.
#Asparagus shoots are starting to pop
up now. They'd appreciate a feeding of a balanced
fertilizer.
# Blooming plants for your Valentine's
Day sweetheart include azaleas, cyclamen, tulips, hydrangeas
and orchids.
# Finish pruning your roses by
mid-February.
# Dahlia bulbs are available in area
nurseries. For best selection, choose them now then plant
them in the garden in late March for a rich array of color
and different flower forms.
# According to several nurserypeople,
now is a good time to transplant azaleas and
camellias.
# Snails will soon begin their yearly
trek to your tender, young foliage. Look for them hiding
beneath plants and lumber piles now before they get started
munching.
# Before planting your flower and
vegetable beds, mix in compost to help condition the
soil.
# Despite the warmer days, it's still
winter. Leave freeze-damaged leaves on plants for a couple
more weeks, to protect and insulate any new growth from a
March cold snap.
# Tuberous begonia bulbs are available
at nurseries now. For a sure winner, select the largest and
healthiest looking bulbs.
# It's not too late to plant winter
and spring blooming annuals such as pansies, snapdragons,
calendulas and alyssum.
# Sharpen lawn mower blades and change
the mower's oil before lawn cutting becomes a weekly
job.
# Eliminate mosquito breeding areas in
your yard before the buzzing begins in earnest. Empty any
rain-filled containers around the yard.
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MARCH GARDEN CHORES
FOR THE CENTRAL VALLEY,
FOOTHILLS & BAY AREA
March is an excellent time to
begin fertilizing cool season grasses, such as fescue. Apply
every six weeks now through June; resume feeding September
through early November.
Apply rose food every six weeks
beginning now through October.
Prune and clean up beneath
flowering shrubs such as camellias, quince and forsythia.
Prune out suckers (the branches
that sprout directly from the root stock beneath the soil)
from trees and shrubs.
Install or repair your drip
irrigation system for your trees, shrubs and vegetable
garden.
Vegetables that can be planted
now include lettuce, carrots, beets, radishes and
chard.
For a continuous bloom through
the summer, plant a few corms of gladiolus each week through
early April.
Check for snails in their
hiding places: beneath the cool green leaves of low growing
plants or under the wood pile.
Add mulch around shrubs and
trees, out to the drip line. Leave a six-inch area clear
adjacent to the trunk to prevent rot.
Nurseries are getting in a wide
selection of tomato and pepper plants. Shop now to insure
you get the variety you want; but hold off planting them in
exposed locations for another month.
Protect young summer vegetable
transplants from late March cold snaps with hot caps or
other insulating devices, such as the Walls of
Water.
Shade-loving summertime flowers
that can be planted now include fiberous begonias and
impatiens.
Flowering plants available now
for the garden that gets six or more hours of sun a day:
Shasta daisies, geraniums and marguerites.
Alive or dead? Now's the time
to walk around the yard and determine which plants any early
winter freezes. A shrub branch that bends indicates it may
still be alive. If it snaps, that portion of the plant may
be dead.
Begin spring feeding of trees
and shrubs. A complete fertilizer - one that contains
nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus - is a good
choice.
Alternate mowing patterns each
week, to avoid permanent wheel tracks in the
lawn.
Move tuberous begonias outside
in late March.
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APRIL GARDEN CHORES
FOR THE CENTRAL VALLEY,
FOOTHILLS & BAY AREA
Make sure your sprinklers are
covering the entire lawn area equally. Scatter a dozen,
equally sized, flat-bottomed cans throughout the area while
you water; then, measure the water in each can.
Remove and rake up faded
flowers from rhododendrons, camellias and
azaleas.
Start feeding houseplants on a
monthly basis now through October.
Plant seeds of loose-leaf
lettuce now before the weather turns hot. Save room for
taller growing vegetables, such as tomatoes, to the south of
the lettuce to provide summer shade.
The last weekend of April is an
ideal time to plant your summer outdoor vegetable
garden.
Besides the Yolo Wonder, good
sweet peppers for the valley include Flamingo and
Gypsy.
In search of spring flowering
trees? Consider the Western and Eastern redbuds, dogwood,
crabapple and flowering pear trees.
Redhumped caterpillars will
soon start chewing the leaves of several varieties of trees.
Look for them massed on the undersides of the foliage; clip
off and discard those leaves.
Resist the urge to rototill
excessively wet soil. This could compact the ground,
destroying tiny air pockets necessary for plant root
growth.
Looking for an easy to grow
perennial? Try one of the many salvias (sage) now
available.
All lawns can benefit from an
application of fertilizer now. A product that contains
nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is ideal for your
grass.
If plant leaves look chewed,
start searching for snails. Their hiding places include
damp, dark areas: under boards, flower pots and beneath the
foliage of lush, green plants such as hostas and agapanthus.
Safer, effective snail control products contain iron
phospate as the active ingredient.
Trim back winter freeze damage
from perennials.
Freshen up your container
gardens with new plantings of colorful annuals such as
marigolds and petunias for sunny areas; impatiens and
fushias for the shade.
Your azaleas, rhododendrons,
camellias and gardenias would like to be fed this month. Use
a fertilizer specially formulated for these
plants.
Recent tomato taste trials in
our area turned up four winning varieties: Supersteak,
Better Boy, Celebrity and Ace
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MAY GARDEN CHORES FOR THE
CENTRAL VALLEY,
FOOTHILLS & BAY AREA
Don't remove your bulbs
from the ground until the foliage is dry and
crisp.
Apartment dwellers with
a patio that gets at least six hours of sun a day can easily
grow peppers in containers.
Add mulch around trees,
shrubs and garden plants. This will reduce the number of
weeds as well as conserve moisture.
Pinch back petunias and
fuchsias to encourage more blooms on a compact
plant.
Soon, those tomato
plants will start to sprawl all over your garden. Stake them
now to avoid future entanglements.
One of the most aromatic
shrubs for our area is currently putting on quite a show for
noses. Plant the banana shrub (Michelia figo) near a window
or doorway in part shade.
Keeping your mower set
at the highest or next to the highest blade setting will
help keep your fescue lawn healthy through the
summer.
Water your lawn in the
morning to discourage fungus diseases.
Is nutgrass driving you
nuts? There are herbicides available that help control
nutgrass (nutsedge) in lawns. Check with your nurseryperson
for more details.
Now on the nursery
shelf: snail and slug controls products that are reportedly
non-toxic to your pets. The active ingredient is iron
phosphate.
Mid-May is not too late
to plant popular summer vegetables such as tomatoes and
peppers.
Crabgrass is beginning
to show its ugly heads in area gardens. Hand-pulling is much
easier now, before the plant's large, fibrous root system
has time to take hold.
Give your clay and
plastic pots a boost on sunny patios. Elevate pots onto
boards to lessen the damaging effects on plants from heat
radiated off the hot concrete.
Protect azaleas and
rhododendrons from too much light. These shade lovers
appreciate a home that only gets morning sun or filtered
sunlight.
For a fall crop of
beautiful chrysanthemum flowers, start planting this
month.
Annuals planted recently
should be fed on a monthly basis throughout the spring and
summer.
For maximum flavor,
don't let zucchini get more than 8-10 inches
long.
Although carrots become
sweeter with age, be sure to pick them before they take on a
woody appearance.
Snow peas are ready to
be picked when the peas are just beginning to swell in the
pods. Snap peas taste best when the pod is plump, but the
skin is still shiny, not dull.
Stake or cage your
tomatoes now while they are still of a manageable
size.
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JUNE
GARDEN CHORES FOR CENTRAL VALLEY,
FOOTHILLS & BAY AREA
For your scented garden, add these June bloomers: gardenia,
star jasmine and tuberose.
Both warm and cool season lawns should be fertilized
now.
Remove any fruit clustered too closely together. There
should be six inches of space between apples, pears, peaches
and nectarines.
Dead spots on the lawn? Make sure your sprinklers are
hitting those areas. Scattering several equal-sized
containers throughout the lawn during an irrigation can help
you determine who's wet and who isn't.
Most lawns only need to be watered two or three times a week
at most; a deep, thorough watering could lower that total to
once per week.
During the summer heat, your lawn needs about two inches of
water per week. To find out how much water your sprinklers
are applying to your lawn, place several flat bottomed
containers (such as tuna fish cans) around your lawn, turn
on the sprinklers for a half hour, and then measure the
water in the containers. Adjust your sprinkler time
accordingly.
Successive plantings of vegetables will prolong the harvest.
Plant radishes, carrots, snap beans and corn every two weeks
through July.
Remove faded flowers from annuals to encourage new
blooms.
Mark the raspberry and blackberry vines that are producing
fruit now. Those are the vines that should be cut down to
the ground at the end of the season.
Check for and discard young tomato hornworms on the
underside of tomato leaves.
Cut back Mexican primroses (evening primroses) this month to
keep them from getting leggy.
Water plants early in the day to ensure maximum growth and
minimum disease problems.
Battling crabgrass? Not all weedkillers can thwart this
annual pest. Make sure that the herbicide you are using
lists crabgrass control on the label.
Add summer color to your yard now with vincas, marigolds,
petunias, bedding dahlias and impatiens. Fertilize on a
monthly basis to keep them blooming until the first
frost.
Wood chips, used as a mulch around plants, can suppress
weeds, conserve soil moisture and enhance the plants' root
growth.
Going on vacation? Water all houseplants thoroughly before
leaving. Then, place them out of direct sunlight to help
them retain moisture.
If you have automatic sprinklers, make sure that the control
unit's backup battery is fresh, thus averting a lawn and
garden disaster in case of a power outage while you're
gone.
Don't fertilize your lawn or plants in the two weeks prior
to your vacation. The new growth will require more water
while you're away.
Remove fading or dead rose blooms before go on vacation.
Nipping these will redirect the plant to produce more rose
blossoms instead of energy-sapping rose hips while you're
away.
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JULY
GARDEN CHORES FOR CENTRAL VALLEY,
FOOTHILLS & BAY AREA
Cut off any dry foliage on spring blooming bulbs such as
gladiolas and irises. Divide and replant any crowded clumps.
Clean up any fallen fruit, vegetables and flowers to help
head off future pest problems.
Looking
for colorful additions for shady areas? Try impatiens and
begonias, now available at nurseries and garden
centers.
Make the nursery the last shopping stop of the day. Plants
left in a hot car can die in as little as 15
minutes.
Harvest
zucchini when the fruit is no more than 8 inches
long.
Potted plants on a hot porch need to be watered thoroughly.
Dunk the pot into a bucket of water or slowly water the
container with a hose.
If you use grass clippings as a mulch around trees and
shrubs, let them dry out thoroughly to prevent matting and
rotting.
Repot one to two-inch cuttings of coleus and geraniums in
small containers for use as indoor potted plants for this
winter and as outdoor plants in next year's
garden.
If grasshoppers have stripped any trees or shrubs of their
leaves, reduce the plant's stress by watering deeply with a
soaker hose around the dripline twice a month during the
summer.
Reduce the chance of sunburn on the bark of leafless trees
and shrubs by painting the trunk and stems with white
interior latex paint, diluted with water.
Want to increase the number of summertime flowers or the
amount of tomatoes and peppers at harvest time? Use a
fertilizer now with more phosphorus and potassium than
nitrogen, such as an 8-10-10 formulation.
Attract ladybugs to help battle aphids in your garden by
including these ladybug-attractive plants in your problem
areas: dill, golden marguerite, coriander and Queen Anne's
lace.
Looking for houseplants that don't need much care? Try
philodendron, the Chinese evergreen or the peperomia. All of
these can take low levels of light and only need a thorough
watering once a month.
Dig down a foot and check the soil moisture around stressed
shrubs and trees. A handful of this dirt that is either dry
or muddy indicates the plant is underwatered or
overwatered.
New
research shows the benefits of summertime deciduous fruit
tree pruning to keep trees at a manageable height, with the
fruit within easy reach. Cut back or remove branches above
that height.
Plant
your last section of sweet corn when the crape myrtle is in
bloom.
Press your fingernail into a kernel of corn; if the liquid
is milky, not clear, it's ready to eat!
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AUGUST
GARDEN CHORES FOR CENTRAL VALLEY,
FOOTHILLS & BAY AREA
# Train new raspberry and blackberry
canes on a trellis or fence. Cut to the ground the old canes
which bore this year's crop.
# Brown spots in your lawn? Check your
sprinkler coverage of that area. It may be getting
substantially less water than other parts of the
lawn.
# Extend the flower season by planting
more summer and fall bloomers such as petunias, zinnias and
marigolds.
# Don't let red tomatoes become
overripe on the vine. Pick them when they're fully firm, not
squishy.
# To increase flower production on
geraniums and fuchsias, pinch them back.
# Keep your roses cool during August.
Water deeply and add mulch around the root zone.
# For larger chrysanthemum blooms this
fall, disbud them now. Stake and tie the plants to prevent
drooping and breaking.
# Marigolds and zinnias can bloom well
into the fall. It's not too late to plant more of these
seeds.
# To increase the blooms of marigolds,
celosia, cosmos, zinnias petunias and impatiens: apply a
fertilizer with more phosphorus and potassium than nitrogen,
perhaps a formulation such as 5-10-10.
# Fruit and nut trees that would enjoy
a bit of fertilizer this month include almonds, apricots,
citrus, peaches and nectarines, cherries and
walnuts.
# Train new raspberry and blackberry
canes on a trellis or fence. Cut to the ground the old canes
which bore this year's crop.
#Now is the time for planting seeds of
winter vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale and
lettuce. Be sure to keep these new seed beds
moist.
# Bermudagrass lawns are growing
actively and would benefit from an application of
fertilizer. Be sure to water the lawn thoroughly after
feeding to prevent grass burn.
# To increase the number of blooms of
marigolds, celosia, cosmos, zinnias, petunias and impatiens:
remove the dead flower heads so the plant can put its energy
into new growth instead of seed production.
# Whenever you spot a fruiting
blackberry cane now, mark it with a dab of white paint to
remind you to prune it out after you've picked the berries.
For new canes on trailing varieties, peg them to the ground
to ease your pruning chores.
# Late August is a good time to plant
seeds of winter blooming flowers such as sweet peas,
snapdragons, Iceland poppies, pansies, violas and primroses.
Be sure to keep these new seed beds moist to stave off the
drying effects of our warm afternoon breezes.
# If your azaleas and rhododendrons
have set their flower buds for next spring's bloom, switch
your fertilizer to an 0-10-10 to boost the flower size next
year.
# Fallen fruit and vegetables may be
harboring next year's pest problems. Clean up and discard
these unwanted homes.
# Now's the time to divide crowded
clumps of Shasta daisies.
# Get a head start on your winter
flower garden by planting early flowering sweet peas, such
as "Winter Elegance" or Early Multiflora.
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SEPTEMBER
GARDEN CHORES FOR THE CENTRAL VALLEY,
FOOTHILLS & BAY AREA
Protect your backyard grape crop from scavenging birds.
Attach flash tape to some of the branches; or, place netting
over the vines and secure it to the ground.
Tomato hornworms are arriving late this year. Look for them
when they are actively munching on your tomato leaves, early
in the morning or just after sunset.
If your automatic sprinklers come on while you're asleep,
take a few minutes to turn them on manually to check for any
broken or clogged sprinkler heads.
If you'll be renovating your lawn on a weekend this fall,
now's the time to call the rental yard to reserve a
dethatcher and aerator.
Plant a short row of lettuce every two weeks until
mid-October. The loose leaf varieties, including Green Ice
and Ruby, do best here.
Add organic matter to the garden bed before planting winter
crops such as broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, cabbage, onion
sets, garden peas, garlic, carrots and beets.
Ferocious winter winds that whip through the Delta and the
Central Valley are on the way; check the ties on stakes that
support young trees and tree roses. However, to allow a
tree's root system to fully develop, don't continue to stake
any tree that can stand straight on its own. One year for
tree stakes is usually enough.
Nurseries will have a good selection of tulips, daffodils
and crocus bulbs this month for planting in October. Chill
tulip bulbs in the refrigerator for four weeks before
planting.
Looking for perennials that will provide some Christmastime
color in the yard? Plants for our area that are available
now include euryops, primroses, freeway daisy and winter
blooming bergenia.
Add shrubs that bloom in the winter. Among the ones that do
well here are camellias, daphne, forsythia and flowering
quince.
Shorter days and cooler daytime temperatures reduces the
amount of water your lawn needs. Cut back your sprinkler
time by 25%.
Plant daffodil bulbs every two to three weeks from now
through November to prolong the bloom period next
spring.
Nurseries have a good supply of winter blooming annuals in
supply now; don't overlook their selection of onion sets,
which will be coming soon.
Keep cabbage loopers, aphids and whiteflies away from your
winter vegetable crops with row covers.
Feed your lawn now with a complete, slow release fertilizer.
Look for three prominent numbers listed on the bag, which
refer to the percentage of nitrogen, potassium and
phosphorus of the fertilizer.
Remove the dead and dying summer vegetable plants from your
garden. Work compost into the area, giving it a head start
for next year's crops. A good rule of thumb: rototill in one
cubic yard of compost for every 300 square feet of garden
space.
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OCTOBER
GARDEN CHORES FOR THE CENTRAL VALLEY,
FOOTHILLS & BAY AREA
Feed roses one more time to keep the blooms coming through
the fall.
Clean up the summer vegetable garden. Plant a cover crop
such as vetch or clover.
Vegetables to plant from seed now include radish, spinach,
peas and fava beans
This is a great time for planting new trees and shrubs,
especially ones with outstanding fall foliage for our area.
Good specimens include Chinese pistache, tupelo, red oak and
scarlet oak.
Dethatch, aerate and overseed bermuda grass lawns with rye
grass to keep it green all winter.
Cool season lawns, such as the popular fescue blends, are
putting on a spurt of growth now. Mow often so that you are
never removing more than a third of the total height of the
grass blade.
Nurseries have a good supply of winter blooming annuals in
supply this month; also, select onion sets now for your
vegetable garden.
This is a good time to plant ground covers. This will give
their root systems a chance to get established for their
burst of spring growth.
Despite the cooler temperatures, your lawn and garden still
need about an inch of water a week. Unless the rains come,
keep your automatic sprinklers operating.
After you've cleared out the dying summer vegetables,
prepare for next year's garden by checking the soil pH. Test
kits are available at just about every nursery.
Feed your bare garden soil during the winter with a cover
crop of clover, fava beans or vetch. This will add nitrogen
for next year.
Tomato hornworms are going into hibernation in the soil
beneath your tomato plants. Dig down about four inches and
discard their cocoons, which resemble two inch-long, reddish
footballs.
Scatter and plant tulip and daffodil bulbs outdoors for a
more natural look.
Add some indoor color for the upcoming holiday seasons by
planting bulbs now in containers.
Now is your last, best opportunity to renovate an ailing
lawn in 2000. Overseed bermuda grass lawns with annual or
perennial rye seed.
Protect rhododendron and azalea roots during the winter by
adding two or three inches of mulch beneath those
plants.
Available now at nurseries: colorful winter blooming annuals
such as violas, calendulas, stock, Iceland poppies and
snapdragons.
Temperatures dipping down below freezing can occur here in
early November. Prepare for that possibility by moving
frost-sensitive potted plants indoors.
Row covers, hot caps, and water-filled containers
surrounding young vegetable seedlings offer these plants a
warmer nighttime environment.
Prepare for the rainy season by knocking down watering
basins around trees.
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NOVEMBER
GARDEN CHORES FOR THE CENTRAL VALLEY,
FOOTHILLS & BAY AREA
Freezing temperatures in our area can happen as early as the
first week of November. Get ready for the rain and cold
ahead:
If the predicted low temperature is 32 or below: disconnect,
straighten out and drain any water from your garden hoses to
prevent cracking.
Protect your plants near the house from becoming waterlogged
by extending your home's rain gutters with flexible
pipe.
Fix any dripping outdoor faucets and then wrap the exposed
portion of the water pipes. Insulation that becomes
saturated from a leaky faucet is of little protective value
during freezes.
Turn off and drain sprinkler systems by removing the head
from the sprinkler at the lowest point of your lawn; or,
install a sprinkler end drain.
Drip irrigation systems should be turned off if a freezing
morning is forecast; remove the end plug for
drainage.
Other November Garden
Chores:
Snails are lurking in the shade. Look for them during the
day beneath piles of lumber and under the canopy of big-leaf
plants, such as hostas and hydrangeas.
Spruce up the garden with plants that produce colorful red
berries during the winter. Cotoneaster, toyon and pyracantha
do well in our area.
Add leaves and small twigs to the compost pile. Using a
chipper/shredder on fall garden debris will speed up the
composting process.
Plant blueberry vines in acidic soil, preferably on the east
side of a building. They will succeed wherever you have
azaleas that are doing well.
Plan on spraying your deciduous fruit trees this month for
peach leaf curl. Your local nurseryperson can direct you to
the right shelf for your particular fruit tree
variety.
November is an excellent month to plant trees. Among the
trees with colorful fall foliage that do well here are
Chinese pistache, zelkova, ginkgo and the red oak.
Plant new trees and shrubs "high" to avoid stem rot. The top
of the root ball should be about an inch above the soil line
to allow for settling.
For cut flowers in late winter, plant freesia corms
now.
In bloom right now: sasanqua camellias, a great shrub for
our area. They can take more sun than the japonica
camellias, which bloom in winter.
The sun is lower in the horizon. Move your houseplants so
they're closer to the light source.
Onion sets are still available at area nurseries. Plant now
for a Memorial Day harvest.
November is the best time to plant garlic here in the
valley.
Bare root blackberries available now that do well in the
valley include Olallie, Marion and Boysen.
Feed your lawn now for the winter with a fertilizer that
contains phosphorus and potassium as well as
nitrogen.
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DECEMBER
GARDEN CHORES FOR THE CENTRAL VALLEY,
FOOTHILLS & BAY AREA
Protect your in-ground plants near the
house from becoming waterlogged by extending your home's
rain gutters with flexible pipe.
Fix any dripping outdoor faucets and then
wrap the exposed portion of the water pipes. Insulation that
becomes saturated from a leaky faucet is of little
protective value during freezes.
Turn off and drain sprinkler systems by
removing the head from the sprinkler at the lowest point of
your lawn; or, install a sprinkler end drain.
Drip irrigation systems should be turned
off if a freezing morning is forecast; remove the end plug
for drainage.
Flowering quince, acacias and winter
daphne will be the first plants to bloom in a few weeks.
These harbingers of spring can be planted now.
Spring-blooming perennials to plant now
include foxglove, columbine, salvia and gaillardia.
Winter and spring blooming annuals
available at local nurseries this month include primroses,
snapdragons, cyclamen, pansies and violas.
Choose poinsettias with an abundance of
dark, rich green foliage that is undamaged, dense and
plentiful all the way down to the soil line.
Clean, sharpen and oil garden pruners
before making the first cut of the season.
Wash mud off shovels and rakes before
putting them away in the garage.
Dormant roots of asparagus and artichokes
are available now in some nurseries. Plant in areas that
have good drainage, such as raised beds or
hillsides.
Living plants that make good Christmas
gifts include herbs. Basil, lavender, lemon balm, marjoram,
mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, tarragon and thyme grow
well indoors, in a sunny window.
Choosing a living Christmas tree?
Varieties that do well in our climate include the Italian
stone pine, aleppo pine, deodar cedar and Colorado
spruce.
Avoid the Monterey pine (Pinus radiata)
when shopping for a living Christmas tree. The Monterey
pine, which has a tough time surviving here in the valley,
is subject to bark beetles and pine pitch canker.
After purchasing a living Christmas tree,
leave it outside until a few days before Dec. 25 to keep the
tree from becoming stressed.
Keep poinsettia plants thriving through
the winter in your house. Place them in a warm, sunny
location, out of drafts. Water weekly; feed monthly through
April. Then, transplant them outdoors.
If you received houseplants as holiday
gifts, be sure to remove the foil surrounding the pot to
avoid root rot.
Bare root roses are now appearing in area
nurseries. Choose those that list Grade 1 on the label.
These will grow more vigorously in their first year, unlike
those graded as 1-1/2 or 2.
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