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What to Do This
Month - November
November should offer
plenty of days for planting winter annuals, vegetables and some
trees and shrubs. But by the end of the month, the Tucson gardener should be
ready to protect frost sensitive plants in case early morning temperatures dip
toward freezing.
Late in the month
thoughts usually turn toward the Thanksgiving holiday and quality time with
friends and family. After that it's the hectic push toward the
Christmas holiday and the coming new year. Daytime temperatures are often pleasant and time
can be spent in the garden enjoying colorful plantings of
pansies, sweet alyssum, stocks, snapdragons, dianthus and petunias. There are still plenty of
bedding plants to be found
in the nurseries all this month.
Tomatoes and bush
beans may still be producing in the vegetable garden early in the month but that will come to
an abrupt stop once the first frost creeps into the valley. Attempts can be
made to protect the plants from the night time chill but it's often more
work than it's worth.
Cool season
vegetables like radishes, lettuce, Swiss chard, carrots, onions and peas can
still be planted for a winter and early spring harvest.
Much of the citrus fruit will show good color by the end of the month
and some gardeners will be anxious to sample the first tangerine or squeeze
the first lemon or two for meringue covered pie.
November and
December are busy holiday months whether cooking, decorating, shopping
or entertaining. Considerable time is spent preparing for just a
couple of days of the year. The same can be said for garden preparation. A lot of
time is spent in the groundwork as you prepare, plant and maintain. When the
weather is just right, as is often the case in November, it's a good time to enjoy the garden
when the opportunity presents itself.
Here are a few
suggestions for November gardening:
It's not too late to add winter
bedding plants to your garden beds or containers. Look for healthy
specimens in your favorite nursery or garden center and purchase as large
as you can. With cooling temperatures plant growth slows down picking up
again when temperatures rise.
Cooler temperatures mean you don't
have to water as often.
If we're lucky we'll get some quality, slow drenching winter rains for the
garden. Cut way back on the watering.
The soil in beds and containers won't dry out as quickly. Don't judge
by the soil's surface appearance whether you need to water or not. Probe down
with a trowel or a sturdy finger to check whether the soil is really dry or
moist. Reprogram automatic timers to accommodate the change in watering
schedules.
You can still plant cool season vegetable crops.
Quick growing radishes, green onions from small bulbs, Swiss chard, spinach,
cabbage, cauliflower and a wide assortment of leaf lettuce can still be
planted.
If you planted
wildflower seeds last month and kept them moist they should be well on
their way if the seed wasn't consumed by birds. If
winter rains are scarce you'll need to continue to water the seedlings to
assure growth and eventual spring bloom.
Don't be in a hurry to pick
ripening citrus. What may look ripe in color may be a few weeks
away from sweetness. Do a taste test and pick only the citrus you'll need.
The fruit will do fine left on the tree unless we have a severe, prolonged freeze that
usually doesn't arrive until late December or January.
Watch the daily weather reports. Killing
frosts can occur late in November so you need to plan ahead by watching
local weather broadcasts or checking on the internet. Potted plants can be
moved to warmer locations for protection but some plants may need to be covered with anything
from cardboard to sheets and blankets. Some plants may need added
support such as a wood shaped teepee to hold up the weight of the
covering. Remove any frost protection in the morning to allow the plants
plenty of sunlight.
It's not too
early to look for Amaryllis bulbs and get
them started in a container for forced holiday blooms. White and red are
the most common colors available so you may have to shop early to find the pinks or
mixed colors at a reasonable price. The bulbs, as well as the flowers,
are large so many indoor gardeners only place one bulb per container. Be
adventurous and prepare a colorful blooming show by placing two or even
three bulbs in an attractive container.
It's a great time of year to be a
Tucson gardener. Watch for those perfect weather weekends and plan on
visiting Tohono Chul Park, the Tucson Botanical Gardens or spend some
relaxing time your own back yard.
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