The Almanac
Average temperature: High 79, Low 59
Rainfall: 2.32 inches
1. Moon phases
Full moon: Nov. 5
Last quarter: Nov. 12
New moon: Nov. 20
First quarter: Nov. 28
2. Moon sign planting dates
Above-ground crops: 1, 4, 5, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29
Below-ground crops: 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 18, 19
Control weeds and pests: 6, 7, 25, 26, 27
Prune trees and shrubs: 2, 3, 11, 12, 20, 21, 30
Time to plant
3. Vegetables: Beet, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, collard, endive, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, onion, pea, radicchio, radish, rhubarb, rutabaga, spinach, Swiss chard and turnip
4. Flowers: Ageratum, alyssum, baby’s breath, black-eyed Susan, bush daisy, calendula, California poppy, candytuft, carnation, cat’s whiskers, chrysanthemum, cleome, cornflower, delphinium, dianthus, dusty miller, foxglove, gaillardia, geranium, goldenrod, heliotrope, hollyhocks, Iceland poppy, impatiens, larkspur, lobelia, ornamental cabbage & kale, pansy, petunia, phlox, salvia, shasta daisy, snapdragon, stock, sweet pea, verbena, viola and wax begonias
5. Herbs: Anise, arugula, basil, borage, chive, cardamon, chervil, cilantro, coriander, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, lavender, lemon balm, lovage, Mexican tarragon, mint, nasturtium, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, sweet marjoram, thyme and watercress
6. Bulbs: African iris, amaryllis, anemone, bulbine, crinum, daylily, rain lily, ranunculus, society garlic, spider lily and narcissus; refrigerated Dutch iris, tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and similar bulbs needing a cold treatment before flowering
Vegetable and fruit gardening
7. Coolish weather is a relief for fall and winter gardeners; enjoy work outdoors.
8. Remove declining crops and plant the cool season vegetables until early February.
9. Herbs like the cooler weather too; begin new plantings and revive older ones.
10. Start seeds of broccoli, cauliflower, collards, onions and similar to produce transplants.
11. Teach younger family members to garden by helping plant and tend the crops.
12. Add small monthly plantings of each crop to have a continual supply.
13. Tomato and pepper planting time is over until spring.
14. Allow garden soils to dry a little; water when the surface soil begins to dry to the touch.
15. Improve sandy soils with garden soil, compost, peat moss and composted manure.
16. Feed the garden every three to four weeks with composted manure or a general garden fertilizer.
17. Stake or trellis taller growing crops to prevent wind damage and pests.
18. Maintain a mulch between plants and rows to conserve water and control weeds.
19. Caterpillars have been feeding in the garden; hand pick or use natural controls.
20. Build raised beds to better contain plantings and make their care easier.
21. Give bananas and pineapples a final fall feeding with a general garden fertilizer.
22. Many early citrus are ready to harvest; use the taste test to tell when they are ripe.
23. Feeding time for citrus and other fruit trees is over.
24. Water citrus trees once or twice each week during the dry times.
25. Add new citrus or other fruiting trees to the landscape.
26. Sow papaya seeds to overwinter in containers.
27. Delay all fruit tree pruning until late January or February.
Lawn care
28. Most lawns have tolerated the dry and wet periods of summer; give them fall care.
29. Feeding time is over for bahia, centipede and zoysia lawns.
30. Give St. Augustine lawns one more feeding with a winterizer fertilizer around midmonth.
31. Brown or large patch disease can be severe in zoysia; apply a fungicide in early November.
32. Fall is a good time to sod or plug problem areas in lawns; delay bahia seeding until spring.
33. Less water is needed during cool weather; reduce waterings to when grass begins to wilt.
34. Lawn watering is limited to once a week in most areas when Eastern Standard Time returns.
35. Water lawns separately from trees and shrubs that need less moisture.
36. Repair and adjust sprinklers to water efficiently
37. Chinch bug and caterpillar control may still be needed during warm fall weather.
38. Have lawn soil tested by the University of Florida lab to ensure a proper feeding.
39. Lawns low in potassium can be given extra winter protection with a late-month application.
40. Apply herbicides for your lawn type if needed for broadleaf and sedge weed control.
41. Continue mowing at normal heights.
42. Aerate hard to wet, compacted and nematode infected soils.
43. Sow ryegrass in barren areas for a temporary lawn starting in late November.
44. Remove and compost fallen leaves.
45. Fill in shady problem spots with ornamental ground covers.
Landscape plantings
46. Use the cool weather to add new trees, shrubs and ground covers to the landscape.
47. Fall is a good time to repot, groom, feed and control pests of container plantings.
48. Make plans to prevent damage to cold sensitive landscape plants.
49. Less water is needed during fall and winter but stay alert to plant needs.
50. Keep the root balls of new plantings moist with frequent hand waterings.
51. Fall is a good time to renew mulches; only a light topping is normally needed.
52. Pruning time is over for azaleas, gardenias, hydrangeas and camellias.
53. Complete pruning of other plants early to allow new growth to mature before winter.
54. Only remove declining fronds and flower or fruiting stalks from palms to maintain vigor.
55. Palm diseases may be spread by pruners; disinfect at least between palms.
56. Remove declining warm season flowers and replace with the cool season selections.
57. Experiment with combinations of flowers and foliage in container plantings.
58. Work organic matter into flower beds and replace soil in planters before planting.
59. Slow-release fertilizers are an easy way to feed flower beds and containers.
60. Extend chrysanthemum life; remove faded flowers, keep the soil moist and feed lightly.
61. Make sure poinsettias receive no nighttime light; keep the soil moist and feed monthly.
62. Scale insects have been heavy this year on shrubs and foliage plants; use a natural spray.
63. Leaf spots and die-back are normal on many trees and perennials as they prepare for winter.
64. Hurricane season ends Nov. 30; select small sturdy trees for new plantings
65. Remove limbs and weeds interfering with sprinklers.
66. Complete all tree, palm and shrub feedings by mid-month.
67. Collect favorite flower seeds in plastic bags to store in the refrigerator.
68. Hurry to create wildflower plantings that won’t flower until spring.
69. Reduce feedings of orchids and bromeliads in the landscape as the weather cools.
70. Divide perennials and bulbs.
71. Form compost piles to recycle yard waste.
72. Clean birdbaths and prepare feeders for winter.
73. Reduce feedings of water garden plantings
House and foliage plant care
74. Plant narcissus and amaryllis bulbs in containers to begin growth for holiday blooms.
75. Remember, no nighttime light for holiday plants until they begin to bloom.
76. Water holiday cactus and kalanchoe when the soil dries to the touch; keep poinsettias moist.
77. Wash away dust and plant pests with a soapy water solution
78. Check and treat outdoor plants for insects before bringing them indoors.
79. Discontinue or reduce foliage plant feedings to every other month.
80. Begin moving cold sensitive foliage plants indoors.
Tom MacCubbin is an urban horticulturist emeritus with the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. Write him: Orlando Sentinel, P.O. Box 2833, Orlando, FL. 32802. Email: TomMac1996@aol.com.
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