Not ready to hang up your gardening tools as we head into late fall and winter? Consider these plants and garden tasks for October, November, and December.
- SOW COVER CROPS (also called green manure or compost crops). Bell beans and vetch are good choices. If you'd like more information about common cover crops for California, visit this USDA site.
- PLANT
- Artichoke
- Fava beans
- Garlic
- Radish
- Spring flowering bulbs
- California natives. Visit Native Planting Guides from the California Native Plant Society for suggestions for your location.
- DIVIDE spring and summer flowering perennials. The University of Minnesota Extension offers an excellent resource for how and when to divide perennials.
- COMPOST OLD CROPS (be sure they are disease-free) and leaves. Cover the compost pile once the rains begin.
- SPRAY HORTICULTURAL OIL on deciduous fruit trees, roses, and berry bushes. Always read and follow all label directions for proper timing and rates dependent on the stage of the pest's life cycle.
- CLEAN, SHARPEN, and OIL your garden tools.
- PLAN your spring garden.
Additional Resources
How and when to divide perennials, University of Minnesota Extension
https://extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/dividing-perennials
Planting Calendar for Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, Cool Season Vegetables, UC Master Gardeners of Humboldt and Del Norte Counties https://ucanr.edu/sites/hdnmastergardeners/files/323462.pdf
Recommended planting dates for major regions of California, California Native Plant Societyhttps://mg.ucanr.edu/Gardening/Vegetable/Preparing/PlantingTime/
Seasonal Landscape IPM Checklist, UC IPM
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/seasonal-landscape-ipm-checklist/checklist/?region=7#gsc.tab=0
Your Alameda County Garden, Month-by-Month, UC Master Gardener Program of Alameda County
https://acmg.ucanr.edu/Your_Garden_Month-by-Month/