UC Master Gardeners: Still time to get cool-season veggies under way

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• October gardening chores center on cleaning up

  October gardening chores center on cleaning up

  Q: What jobs should I be doing in my garden in October? — Tish Keely, Santa Margarita

  A: October is one of the most pleasant months in the garden. The temperature is generally mild, the soil is still warm, there are treasures to harvest and winter rains are, hopefully, on the way.

  This is a perfect time for a thorough garden cleanup.

• Gardening on the Central Coast doesn’t end in November

  Gardening on the Central Coast doesn’t end in November

  Q: Gardening books say to clean up the garden, then sit back and relax. Is this true? — Donna Hoppe, Cambria

  A: Not quite. Those of us who live on the Central Coast don’t have a “long, dark winter” where we kick back, put our feet up and peruse seed catalogs while we wait for spring. Our climate produces edibles and flowers yearround, and our gardens need attention.

  After you finish pruning, clean up dead leaves and debris, spread new mulch and plant some winter color. November is a good time to put out cool-season annuals like Calendula, Cineraria, Cyclamen, Dianthus, candytuft, Iceland poppies, Nemesia, snapdragons, pansies, and Johnny-jump-ups. Purchase tulips, crocus and hyacinth bulbs and store them in the crisper of your refrigerator in a bed of slightly moist sawdust to give them chill time. The nurseries should be fully stocked with bulbs right now.

• January jobs in the garden: Plant, prune, prepare

  January jobs in the garden: Plant, prune, prepare

  Q. What tasks should I be doing in my garden in January? — Philomena Reid

  A: If you’re interested in working off that holiday fare, look no further than your garden. January is a quiet month, especially on the first, and meditation is never better than when working outdoors. But just because you have survived the holidays does not mean that it is now the time to sit back and watch the weeds grow.

  The Rose Parade may be inviting, but planting a rose bush of your own is infinitely more rewarding. January is just the month. Bare-root roses are available and ready to plant. Choose according to growth habit and your growing conditions. Along the coast, disease-resistant varieties thrive in cooler conditions.

• There’s plenty to do in your December garden

  There’s plenty to do in your December garden

  Q: Are there chores I should focus on in the garden during December? — Dennis Neil, Los Osos

  A: Wear an extra sweater and you’ll find that December is a beautiful time to work in the garden. You may need a breather from the holiday ruckus and keeping the garden tended will make for less work in the spring.

  Winter is a great time to assess what worked and what didn’t in your garden. Grab your hot coffee, tea or cider and take a stroll. The bones of your garden are more visible at this time of year. Now, you can set some goals for 2012.

• February is the perfect time to prepare for spring

  February is the perfect time to prepare for spring

  Q. What should I be doing in the garden in February? Is it time to cut back perennials and shrubs? — Sharon Connors, San Luis Obispo

  A. February is already spring in many areas of the county. If not done in January, dormant pruning of roses and fruit trees should be completed now, before they bud out. Shrubs can be shaped and cut back now, as can salvias and lavenders and verbenas, when they have a flush of new growth at the base. Ornamental grasses, too, can be trimmed and/or divided.

  This is a good time to prepare beds, digging in compost and planning new plantings. Be sensitive to the water needs of your garden. During times of frost, it’s important to make sure that soil is not completely dried out. As growth begins in spring some areas may need water after a dry winter — or if we’ve had late rains, test the soil before working it. If it sticks together when squeezed, wait until it dries somewhat.