This is a Reprint of an Article from Lowe’s Creative Ideas for Outdoor Living Fall 2011 Magazine titled:
Gardening Almanac
Your gardening guide to what to do in the Gulf Coast Region and when to do it:
SEPTEMBER
– PLANT
warm-season veggies—green beans, pole beans, and peppers can still produce
before winter.
– ADD
heat-tolerant rosemary, mints, and oregano to pots and edible spaces.
– MONITOR
your lawn closely for persistent insects such as sod webworms and chinch bugs.
– TRANSPLANT
bulbs and divide perennials if too large or needing rejuvenation.
OCTOBER
– FERTILIZE
shrubs and ornamentals. Use a slow- or
time-released fertilizer for the last time this season.
– SOW
seeds of winter crops directly in the ground:
broccoli; collards; cabbage; lettuce; and, radish.
– PLANT
bulbs for spring bloom, including stalwarts such as lilies, agapanthus,
zephyranthes, and amaryllis.
NOVEMBER
– INSPECT
your poinsettias, which can be quickly defoliated by hornworms. Handpick pests and drop them in soapy water.
– INCREASE
fall color. Add mass plants of
cool-season pansies and snapdragons as focal points.
– PLANT
trees and shrubs in the fall—the perfect time—so they can establish roots
before hot, dry spring weather.
DECEMBER
– PLANT
veggies. Sow these in succession for extended
harvest: carrots; lettuce; spinach; and,
greens.
– TEST
your soil. Prepare for new spring
plantings by knowing what amendments are needed.
– ENJOY
herbs such as basil, cilantro, dill, and fennel. They appreciate the cooler, dryer weather.
