GV Gardeners: Gardeners need not become dormant this month

The old saying about “frost on the pumpkin” is often heard this time of year. In the Green Valley area, the average first frost occurs in mid-November. However, this does not mean that gardeners should become inactive until spring.

Colorful cool-weather annuals such as petunias, snapdragons, stock, portulaca, and pansies can be planted now. Early garden center selections are spectacular. Get some of each, fill lots of containers and set them around the patio, pool, and entryway.

Frost-hardy and native woody shrubs such as jojoba, Texas ranger, Texas mountain laurel, cassias, hop bush, and fairy dusters can still be planted. There is also time left to scatter wildflower seed on the ground, preferably by mid-month. Continued light hand-watering of the developing wildflower seedlings is important.

Now throughout the country many types of chrysanthemums are plentiful at nurseries and retailers. To add seasonal color, buy them in traditional autumn hues of rust, yellow, burgundy and orange. With mild winters, they can last until the heat of early summer.

After all of the watering, feeding, and fussing over the citrus trees, this is the time they really get our attention! They tease us by showing a blush of color… or not; keeping us guessing if they are ready to eat…or not. Citrus color is determined by temperature, and knowing when to begin harvest can be tricky.

First to ripen are usually tangerines, followed by navel oranges and tangelos. Lemons and limes often ripen in November, but stay green until March warms them. Grapefruit often begin turning color this month, but are not at their eating-best until sometimes as late as April or May.

It can all get confusing, so the “taste test” should be the ultimate determination of when to harvest the fruit. If it tastes good to you, continue to pick and eat! Also keep in mind that the tree is the best place to store citrus until you are ready to use it. The longer it is on the tree, the greater the sugar content will be.

Gardeners need their frost protection plan in place this month for citrus, roses, and other cold-sensitive plants. The use of low-watt lights, old bed sheets, blankets, newspaper or commercial frost cloth is recommended. Plants will freeze at the point of contact with plastic, so it is not advised.

Be prepared to cover the growing tips of sensitive columnar cactus with inverted Styrofoam cups. Because these plants are not actively growing during winter, it is all right to leave the cups in place until frost danger is past in early spring.

Small potted plants can be moved under the patio cover, house eaves, or beneath an evergreen tree or large shrub. Near a masonry wall is a good location because the wall absorbs the day’s heat and slowly releases it at night when temperatures dip.

Large containers can be covered with a bath towel, blanket or sheet. It is recommended to remove covers, other than frost cloth, daily. Commercial frost cloth will let in air and about 85 percent of available light, so may be left on plants for several days.

Neither pruning nor fertilizing is recommended during November. If not already done, do adjust the irrigation system to increase the number of days between waterings, but allowing the duration of watering to remain the same.

In many parts of the country, gardeners do begin “dormancy” this time of year. However, with all of its growing seasons, the desert offers us an opportunity to be enthused about gardening year around.

Mary Kidnocker is a Master Gardener who writes frequently about the subject from a local perspective. Her columns are featured each Sunday.