10 Things You Need To Do In The Garden This Month

This month don’t forget to:

Plant lettuces, which are especially adaptable, from seeds or 4-inch starter pots. I want to try ‘Sea of Red’, mini-romaine ‘Breen’ and ‘Lollo Rosso’.

Continue periodic, thorough irrigation of fruit trees to maintain adequate soil moisture until we—fingers crossed—get some winter rains.

Try some easy-grow bulbs such as tulips, daffodils or freesia.

“Lace” trees, the art of pruning to allow wind to pass through, or find a certified arborist (ptcasandiego.org) to do it for you.

Clear weeds and mulch ornamental beds.

Order wildflower seeds. I’ve heard theodorepayne.org is the go-to source for mixes specifically designed for the coastal, inland and mountain gardens here. Store the seeds in a cool, dry, dark place until we’re forecasted to get a soaking rain, then sow.

Keep crops producing by harvesting, pulling spent veggie plants and composting them.

Plant citrus trees. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball but twice as wide. Water once a week, more often during periods of extreme heat or dryness.

If you have roses, and the leaves are being stripped of their green, inspect leaves for caterpillar-like sawfly larvae. Remove affected leaves and crush the larvae. For large infestations, soak the underside of leaves with water or coat them with horticultural oil.

Get the veggie beds ready for cool-season plantings by incorporating composted organic matter and a pre-plant fertilizer high in phosphorous in the beds.

For a list of events and activities I plan to attend this month, click here.