ArtCentrics


December Monthly Update

Hot Topic

Frost protection - Keep your frost sensitive plants warm and covered from frost. This includes pepper, eggplant, tomato and basil plants. Cool weather vegies like lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, snow peas (only the flowers are frost sensitive) are not as frost sensitive and some will actually have improved flavor with a bit of frosty weather.

Wrap the trunks of young citrus and other cold-tender trees with cloth, cardboard or several layers of newspaper (no plastic) to protect them from frost. Leave them wrapped until the threat of frost has passed.

Build mini greenhouses with PVC pipe and plastic for protection and to create warmer conditions. I will do this for my tomato plants.

November Do List

  • Time to plant bare root fruit trees (apricot, plum, apple, peaches). Choose low chill hour ( 1hr at or below 45 degrees = 1 chill hr.), 250 or less hour varieties for best results.
  • Pick tomatoes before first frost.
  • Mulch any bare soil in your vegetable garden and make sure the soil drains well and is allowed to dry before watering again. Roots only grow in dry soil.
  • Start planning your garden for spring/summer planting and get your seeds ordered.

November Don’t List

  • Don’t pick grapefruit yet, they get sweeter if left until spring.
  • Don’t do any major tree pruning in December.
  • Don’t fertilize trees or shrubs in December. Wait until Spring.
  • Don’t over water.
  • Don’t ignore pest problems.

November Planting

Note: White font listed items identify "Ideal" planting time items
  • Vegetables
    • Seeds
      • beets, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, green onions, mustard, lettuce, peas, radishes, swiss chard, spinach and turnips.
    • Transplants
      • asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce (head & leaf)
  • Herbs
    • Borage, Catnip, Calendula, Chamomile, Chives, Cilantro, Dill, Fennel, Feverfew, Lavender, Parsley, Rosemary.
  • Flowers
    • Alyssum, Begonias, Black-eyed Susan, Chrysanthemum, Coreopsis, Dianthus, Gallardia, Geraniums, Nasturtium, Pansy, Petunia, Poppy, Snap Dragon, Society Garlic, Sweet Pea, Viola
  • Fruit
    • Pineapple Guava
    • Bare Root
      • Apple, Apricot, Blackberry, Fig, Peach, Pear, Plum, Pomegranate

Recipes of the Month