Garden tasks shift this time of year with a few key things to do to protect the garden from frost and to prepare the garden for next year.
Food Gardening
- Plant cool-season crops with short days to maturity, like radishes. chives, greens like arugula. Expect plantings at this time of the year to take longer to reach maturity as the days shorten and temperatures drop. Stop fertilizing once growth slows.
- Transplant artichokes.
- Plant garlic bulbs and onion seedlings through the end of the year.
- If you decide to rest your beds for the winter, consider adding a "living mulch", or cover crop, to build soil health, tilth and fertility. Or add a layer of manure covered in straw. Read our Winterize Your Garden article for more.
- Start a straw bale garden. Acquire the bales and set them in place to let the winter rains condition them.
California Natives, Flowers and Ornamentals
- Pruning diseased, dead or damaged branches can be done anytime. Exception: If you suspect frost damage, wait until warmer weather to assess how to proceed. Frost damaged tips can actually protect the rest of the tree from further damage
- Winter is a good time to cut back perennial plants, or move them to a more suitable part of the garden.
- Perennials such as daylilies, chrysanthemums, douglas iris and yarrows can be divided. Use clean, sharp tools.
- Spring blooming bulbs can be planted through the end of the year, such as daffodils and irises.
- Native plants are best propagated in fall and winter.
- Spread wildflower seed just before a forecasted rain.
- Keep new plants watered for the first year.
Fruit Trees
- It's important to keep the orchard floor as disease- and pest-free as possible for a healthy harvest next year: Pick up diseased leaves, fallen fruit and harvest damaged or moldy fruit. Do not put these plant materials in your home compost.
Evergreen Tips
- Sterilize planting containers before reusing them. Wash with mild soap and water to clean. Disinfect planting containers with a 10% bleach solution, meaning 1 part bleach to 9 parts water.
- Sterilize your pruning tools regularly to not spread disease.
- Remove diseased plant material (or discard in your green waste can) to keep your garden as disease free as possible. Do not add diseased plant material to your home compost or leave them in your garden beds. Some pests and diseases can overwinter.
- Irrigation systems: Run it to check for leaks. Make repairs and seasonal adjustments.