By Penny Pawl, UC Master Gardener of Napa County
Winter isn't over, but in my garden it feels like spring has sprung. This is my favorite time of year. I discovered a bearded iris in bloom today, two months early and a great surprise.
The first thing on my to-do list in February is to weed. The weeds loved those early rains and now it is warming up. They need to be removed before they go to seed.
One weeding tool that works well for me is a weed torch or flame weeder made specifically for gardening. It uses a propane tank and a wand. You wave the flame over the weeds to kill them. It works best on small, young weeds growing in hardscape or gravel, and it doesn't damage the soil as many commercial herbicides may do.
Don't use a weed torch during dry spells or on hot, windy days. Keep the flame away from dead or brown material or flammable items like fencing. Wear sturdy shoes and have water nearby to stop any possible flare-ups. Some areas have bans on flame weeders, so check with your local fire department before investing in the equipment.
It's not too late to do sheet composting for weed control. You can find a lot of information about this method online. Basically, you are smothering the weeds by covering them with sheets of cardboard. If you want to plant something before the cardboard has decomposed, just cut a hole in it and dig your planting hole.
One year I experimented by planting half of my broccoli seedlings in soil covered by cardboard and the other half in uncovered soil. The plants in soil covered by cardboard did better.
If you haven't already done so, it's time to prune roses, fruit trees and other shrubs and trees. You can control growth better if you prune before the leaves and flowers come out in the spring.
Plant any bare-root trees and roses now. Remember to water them as they settle into their new home.
We know that drought conditions may continue so keep that in mind when planning your garden this year. Look online for information about the water-wise French intensive method of gardening. If you are planting a new landscape, consider California native plants, which tend to be drought resistant.
Snails and slugs are just beginning to appear so watch for their damage. You can purchase commercial products to control them or try some more homespun methods. One tactic is to lay a board down where you see damage. Snails and slugs like to crawl underneath, so the next day you can stand on the board and crush them. You can also pick them off by hand if you go out at night with a flashlight.
Snails and slugs are hermaphrodites, which means they all lay eggs. They lay about 80 eggs four times a year, so it's important to keep them under control.
If you have plants in pots, now it the time to repot them. Use fresh soil and trim the old roots to make room for new ones. Try to match the potting soil to the needs of the plants. Most container plants need soil that drains well.
It's also a good time to move any plant that's in the wrong place in your garden. To make sure the top and the root ball are in proportion, trim both back when you transplant.
Start seeds for summer vegetables and other plants in February and March. I use a commercial seedling mix for this process. It is especially designed for newly emerging plants.
Be sure to read the seed packets for sowing instructions. Some seeds take longer to sprout than others and some need to be planted deeper than others. Keep your newly planted seeds by a sunny window. If you have a heat lamp or a seed-heating pad, they will appreciate that special treatment and sprout more quickly. Keep the soil damp but not soggy to prevent seeds from rotting before they sprout. You can also make a mini hothouse by inverting a large bottle over your seedling pot.
If the dry weather continues, monitor your in-ground plants and container plants. If the soil is dry, it's time to water. I have noted that some of my pots have dried out even though it has been cool this winter. Also, if we have a hard freeze, plants will survive better if they have moisture. I know this from experience.
Food Growing Forum: Napa County Master Gardeners will host this forum on “Planning & Record Keeping and Crop Rotation” on Sunday, February 13, from 3 pm to 4 pm. Register to receive the Zoom link at https://ucanr.edu/2022FoodForumFeb.
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will hold a workshop on “Weed ID, Frost Protection and Drip Irrigation” on Saturday, February 26, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Las Flores Learning Garden, 4300 Linda Vista Avenue, Napa. Register: https://bit.ly/3J1QFl8
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will hold a workhop on “How to Improve Home Vineyard Soil Health for Grape Quality and Climate Change” on Saturday, February 26, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Whether the workshop will be in person or via Zoom is still being determined.
You must register to attend. Registrants will receive an email a few days before the event with the workshop location or Zoom link. Register at https://ucanr.edu/2022HomeVineyardSoilFeb
Workshop: Napa County Master Gardeners will hold a workhop on “Your Soil Can Save Us! Garden Soil and Climate Change” on Sunday, February 27, from 1 pm to 3 pm, at Yountville Community Center, 6516 Washington Street, Yountville. Details: https://napamg.ucanr.edu
Got Garden Questions? Contact our Help Desk. The team is working remotely so please submit your questions through our diagnosis form, sending any photos to mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org or leave a detailed message at 707- 253-4143. A Master Gardener will get back to you by phone or email.
For more information visit https://napamg.ucanr.edu or find us on Facebook or Instagram, UC Master Gardeners of Napa County.
by Denise Seghesio Levine, U.C. Master Gardener of Napa County
In other parts of the country, people focus on inside tasks in November. Garden tools are already oiled and hung for the winter; bulbs are dug and cellared. Treasured perennials, pots of citrus and fragrant herbs have been brought inside to wait out the winter in bright, warm rooms. With the exception of raking the last leaves or shoveling snow, gardening chores in these locales are largely complete for the next few months.
A few years ago, while visiting the Department of Energy's National Laboratories in Idaho, I lunched with one of the engineers. It was October, and the quaking aspens were aflutter with glorious chartreuse- and lemon-colored leaves. The skies were a true cerulean blue and I could not imagine a prettier or more wonderful time to be there.
My host had a different view. His favorite time of year was coming, when the skies turned gray and black and the white, quiet snowflakes came down. Each year, snow buried not only his garden, but also his tool shed where he housed his lawnmowers, leaf blowers, shovels, loppers and other garden tools.
The only survivor was the family's snowmobile fleet. Until spring thaws uncovered the first flecks of green, he had a vacation from garden chores. Snowmobiling with the kids during the day, hot chocolate and puzzles at night—no wonder it was his favorite time.
Here in Napa Valley, November brings is no rest for the garden weary. The list of potential planting opportunities and chores can be just as encompassing and just as long as in spring and summer.
November in Napa Valley is one of the best times to transplant. If you have plants that have outgrown their pots on the patio or their boundaries in the garden, or are underperforming in their current spot, now is the time to rehome them.
If you use a copper spray for peach-leaf curl, the first application is usually around Thanksgiving. Start watching for frost now and be ready to toss a cover over your citrus and other frost-sensitive plants.
If you want to add plants to your garden, stroll the nursery aisles and look for new discoveries. Read the labels to make sure you are choosing a plant that will thrive in your garden. Some plants are dormant now; others appreciate being transplanted when they will have months of moisture to sink roots deep before the stress of summer.
Local nurseries have beautiful bulbs to plant now for spring bloom and annuals like pansies and violas for winter color.
Tender green crops like lettuce, spinach, orach, arugulas, mint and cilantro all do much better in the cooler months. Plant seedlings or direct-sow seeds in small amounts every couple of weeks for a steady supply into spring. Arugula can be sown liberally in the corners of your garden where it can spread. Better a “weed” I can pick for salads than an inedible weed.
Peas, both pole and bush varieties, can be planted now, as can sweet peas. Wildflowers and many annuals can also be sown now and will germinate when the weather warms in spring.
Keep your flowering sweet peas and edible peas apart. While munching sugar snap peas and petits pois right in the garden is a delight, all of the ornamental sweet pea flowers and pods are toxic. Remind your young children: ornamental sweet peas are eye and nose candy only.
Garden and salad crops like each other, so it is easy to get the most out of a small winter garden patch. Green scallions do well when planted alongside lettuce and carrots. Pole peas enjoy a frilly bed of lettuce along the base, and I have never seen a radish that did not like being near lettuce. Always check seed packets to make sure the variety you have in your hand this month does well from fall to winter.
Your favorite nursery will have vegetable and flower seedlings for planting in November. Expect to find a variety of onion sets and seeds, broccoli seedlings, kohlrabi, rutabaga and perennial herbs.
Seeds can be planted directly outside this month as well. Read the seed packets and look for lettuces that thrive in the cold months. Other good options for winter include spinach, chard, Asian greens, mesclun, sorrel, miner's lettuce and cabbages.
If you have hopes of blooming amaryllis for Christmas, this is the month to pot up heavy, blemish-free bulbs. They will burst into bloom in time for the holidays. Follow the directions that come with your bulbs, and maybe by Christmas we can take some time off.
Library talk: Napa County Master Gardeners will give a talk on “Beyond Peaches and Apples: Unusual Fruits for your Backyard” on Thursday, November 7, at 7 p.m. at the Napa Library, 580 Coombs Street, Napa. Attendance is free.
Next workshop: “Holiday Décor Gifts with Succulent Plants” on Saturday, November 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Avenue, Napa. For more details & online registration, visit http://napamg.ucanr.eduor call 707-253-4221.
The UC Master Gardeners of Napa County are volunteers who provide UC research-based information on home gardening and answer your questions. To find out more about upcoming programs or to ask a garden question, visit the Master Gardener website (http://napamg.ucanr.edu) or call (707) 253-4221 between 9 a.m. and noon on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays.