Master Gardener tips, 2006-12

UCCE Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County
Tips and Happenings
DECEMBER 2006

This month is good for giving yourself a little rest from the garden
and enjoying the holiday season. There's not a lot of rapid growth
occurring at this time, so nature's giving us a little break. Take
advantage if you can.

We've already had a few frosty nights and the upper leaves of my
pepper plants are brown. On cool clear nights, go spend a few minutes
before bedtime protecting your sensitive plants. Containers can be
moved under the eaves or indoors, and other plants can be covered
with something like an old sheet. If you use plastic sheeting, make
sure that it is not in direct contact with the foliage. Uncover
plants during the day to give them fresh air and sunshine. It's best
to wait until spring to prune out any damaged foliage so as not to
expose new areas to frost damage.

If you haven't already turned off your automatic lawn sprinkler
system, you can do so now. With the winter rains, regular watering
isn't necessary. We've probably all seen sprinklers operating while
it's raining and thought about the wasting of water. If we have a
long spell without rain or your lawn starts to look stressed, the
sprinklers can be run for an individual session.

Speaking of using water wisely, take the lid off your compost bin for
a few hours while it's raining. Your compost pile should have the
moistness of a wrung out sponge, and why not water it from the sky
instead of from the hose.

Try not to mow or generally walk over the ground if it's very wet to
avoid compacting the soil. Your plants' roots need oxygen, nutrients,
and space to grow.

Autumn leaves are still falling, so keep on top of the cleanup so as
not to harbor overwintering pests. The leaves make great "brown"
material for your compost pile.

We're coming into peak citrus season, and we know just what to do
with all your fruit. Pick up a copy of our newly revised "Crazy for
Citrus" cookbook in our hotline office at 1555 Berger Drive in San
Jose. Our very own Master Gardeners developed and tested many recipes
in the categories of Drinks, Soups & Starters, Salads, Mains & Sides,
Quick Breads, Sauces, Marinades & Relishes and Desserts. The book
includes many tips for growing and preparing citrus. The $15.00 price
includes tax. While picking up a copy for yourself, be sure to
remember those on your Christmas list.

If you're still harvesting this year's chile crop, there's another
way to dry chiles in addition to the standard practices of spreading
them out on trays or screens in a warm dry place. You can hang the
entire plant upside down to dry. Our farm advisor said that can
contribute to higher carbohydrates in the fruit. I currently have a
Thai chile plant with about 250 bright red chiles hanging upside down
in my dining room, roots and all. The red and green colors make it
double as a Christmas decoration.

You can sign up now for the next series of classes at Campbell Adult
Ed, "Back to Basics and Beyond". The class meets six Tuesday
evenings, January 23 - February 27 and will cover soil preparation,
composting, mulching, weed control, pest management, watering,
fertilizing, propagation and basic garden design. The fee is $ 60 and
registration is directly through the Campbell Community Center at
408-866-2105.

"Healthier Plants. Healthier Environment. Healthier Gardeners.
Healthier Community"