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Monthly Garden To Do List 

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November

• Keep the moisture level up in your compost pile. This time of year we have a lot more dry material to add to the pile. Use a garden hose to water the pile as needed.

• Continue planting trees, shrubs, rose bushes and perennials. Planting now will ensure better survival next spring/summer and earlier growth and blooms.

• Plant fall and winter color - pansies, dianthus, snapdragons, alyssum, ornamental kale and cabbage, dusty miller, etc.

• Replace dead grass with St. Augustine sod. Weeds will sprout in dead patches if you don't. New sod will be well-established by spring.

• Apply pre-emergent weed control such as corn gluten or Barricade to prevent weeds from sprouting.

• Winterize the lawn with an organic, slow release fertilizer.

• Plant herbs and winter veggies. Cilantro, parsley, dill, mint, lavender and rosemary. Lettuce, spinach and other greens are just weeks from the salad bowl. Start onion sets, leeks and garlic now for spring harvest.

• Plant bulbs between Halloween and Thanksgiving for the holidays: Crocus, anemones, freesia, ranunculus, alliums, lycoris, etc. Plant paperwhites in pots by November 11th (Armistice Day) for blooming in time for Christmas. Refrigerate tulips until New Year's Day, then plant every two weeks through Valentine's Day for longer bloom time.

• Plant wildflower seeds through November - bluebonnets, paintbrush, larkspur, etc. Also plant sweet pea seeds in November for better results in spring.

• Last chance to get that mulch down before the weather gets cold. The mulch you applied last spring is long gone! Protect roots and maintain moisture while keeping weeds to a minimum with a 3-inch layer of the mulch of your choice -- pine straw, bark mulch, compost, leaves.

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December

• Planting- Deadhead and feed cool-season color and vegetables with an organic slow-release fertilizer such as Microlife Flower and Vegetable or Happy Frog Fruit and Flower. Continue to plant cool weather color: pansies, snapdragons, and cyclamen. Lettuces, arugula and mustard greens can also still be started from seed.

• Water- Maintain watering on newly planted seeds and transplants. Continue to deep water trees and shrubs. A well-hydrated plant holds up to frosts and freezes better than a drought-stressed plant.

• Pests- Bring in containerized tropicals: Plumerias, crotons, dracaenas, etc. Check undersides of leaves and new growth for insects and treat accordingly.

• Lawns- Mow fallen leaves with a mulching mower. When the lawn can’t take more leaves, add to flower beds. When beds are full of mulched leaves, add them to the compost bin.

• Poinsettias- Water well until soil is saturated and allow to dry between waterings. Apply water to soil and not the foliage or blooms. Keep away from drafts.

• Birds- Don’t forget to keep seed feeders full and fresh water in birdbaths. Put out suet cakes — the extra protein helps keep our feathered friends warm in the winter months.

• Freezes- Have frost cloth on hand to cover tender plants in case of freezing weather. Wrap plants completely down to ground level. The fewer drafts that move under the frost cloth, the better.

• Soil- Work compost into the top couple inches of your garden beds. Use cover crops such as peas, oats, or rye to keep the soil active. These cover crops can be cut and worked into the soil before spring planting.

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