1. November in the Southern California Garden
Each month has its special joys and tasks in the garden. Below is a suggested calendar for November. Remember
that gardening depends on the weather, so tasks, bloom season and activities may vary from year to year.
Best of Show:
Flowers: * Ribes sanguineum, Epilobium canum, Heteromeles arbutifolia, Trichostema lanatum
Fruits/berries: Symphoricarpos spp.
Foliage: *Acer circinatum, *Cercis occidentalis, Eriogonum species, Lyonothamnus floribundus, Rhus trilobata, *Vitis californica
‘Roger’s Red’
Planning:
Now is the best time to evaluate the backbones of your garden. Are there enough larger plants to provide a backdrop? Hide unlovely
views? Provide bird habitat?
Evaluate your garden for Fall color. Do you have enough contrast? See our Oct, 2016 posting on Fall color: http://mother-natures-
backyard.blogspot.com/2016/10/fall-color-with-california-native-plants.html
Purchase plants from native plant nurseries/sales; place in semi-shade and water until planted out.
Hardscape/General:
Renew mulch after pruning – so much easier!
Complete your clean-up of summer blooming perennials and shrubs
Propagation: major propagation month
From seed: cool-season grass plugs; annual wildflowers in containers; shrub & tree seeds w/ short/no pre-chill req.
Check seeds stratifying in refrigerator; plant in nursery pots when you start seeing tiny roots emerge
From cuttings: semi-soft wood cuttings of ceanothus, Manzanita; hardwood cuttings from vines, grapes
Planting:
Last chance: replant native bulbs/corms
Plant out herbaceous groundcover plants – keep watered if needed
Plant rain garden plants; keep watered
Plant out cool-season vegetables from starts or pony-packs
Evaluate/repot container plants as needed
2. Watering:
Once rains saturate the soil you can turn off your irrigation system (if you have one); check soils periodically during hot, windy, dry
weather and water as needed
Water garden well if soils become dry or if no rain for 3 weeks or longer
Pruning: major pruning month
Finish pruning summer-dry shrubs in dry, warm (not hot) periods (check forecast)
Prune to shape/train:
Most native trees and woody shrubs, vines
Prune to thin:
Baccharis spp
Berberis spp
Ceanothus spp.
Cercocarpus spp.
Prune back groundcover perennials/sub-shrubs:
Diplacus/Mimulus spp
Eriogonum spp.
Mint family: Monardella spp., Salvia spathacea, Stachys spp.
Groundcover sunflowers: Symphyotrichum/Aster spp., Achillea millefolium, Artemisia douglasiana, Grindelia spp., Solidago spp.,
Romneya coulteri
Hedge-shear – good time
Divide plants (when ground is soft after rains begin)
Iris douglasii
*Heuchera spp.
Fern species (native)
Fragaria spp. (wait until start to grow w/ fall rains)
Most native bunchgrasses
Sisyrinchium spp.
Native succulent plants & cacti
Weeds/Diseases/Pests:
Gophers may be actively digging in irrigated areas
Edibles/Crafts:
Collect and dry rose-hips for tea
Use prunings of many plants to create natural dyes
Make holiday gifts with aromatics – potpourri, flavored vinegars
Make jam, jelly or syrup from frozen fruits
Enjoying the garden:
• Note when the first seed-eating birds visit your spent sunflowers & buckwheats ; set out bird seed
11/10/2016