The Almanac
Average temperature: High 73, Low 53 | Winter arrives Dec. 21
Rainfall: 2.31 inches
1. Moon phases
Full moon: Dec. 4
Last quarter: Dec. 11
New moon: Dec. 19
First quarter: Dec. 27
2. Moon sign planting dates
Above-ground crops: 2, 3, 20, 21, 25, 26, 29, 30
Below-ground crops: 6, 7, 10, 11, 15, 16
Control weeds and pests: 4, 5, 22, 23, 24, 31
Prune trees and shrubs: 1, 8, 9, 17, 18, 19, 27, 28
Time to plant
3. Flowers: Alyssum, baby’s breath, bacopa, begonia, bush daisy, calendula, California poppy, candytuft, carnation, chrysanthemums, delphinium, dianthus, dusty miller, foxglove, geranium, godetia, hollyhock, Iceland poppy, licorice plant, lobelia, million bells, ornamental cabbage & kale, pansy, petunia, salvia, shasta daisy, snapdragon, statice, stock, sweet pea, verbena and viola
4. Vegetables: Beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, horseradish, lettuce, mustard, onions, peas, radicchio, radishes, spinach, Swiss chard and turnips
5. Herbs: Anise, arugula, basil, bay, chives, cilantro, coriander, dill, fennel, garlic, lavender, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, sweet marjoram, thyme and watercress
6. Bulbs: African iris, amaryllis, anemones, bulbine, crinum, day lily, paperwhite narcissus, ranunculus, society garlic, spider lilies, rain lilies; refrigerate for future planting: Dutch iris, tulips, daffodils and hyacinths
Lawn care
7. Lawns are making good growth if previously fertilized and kept moist as permitted.
8. Operating sprinkler systems is limited to once a week in most areas.
9. Sporadic dry spots can be moistened with a handheld hose where permitted.
10. Feeding time is over but iron or minor nutrients can be applied to keep the lawn green.
11. Brown or large patch disease is common in St. Augustine and zoysia; control with a fungicide.
12. Weeds often invaded areas of lawns; remove and add new sod or plugs.
13. Use spot weed control techniques for small patches of weeds making good growth.
14. Mowing can be reduced to every other week in most landscapes.
15. Mow the lawn at the normal height to continue a uniform look and control weeds.
16. Lawn insects are less active at this time and insecticides may not be needed.
17. Zoysia lawns turn brown with the first frost; some residents spray them green for the winter.
18. Replant hard-to-mow and shady areas with ground covers.
19. Prepare idle power equipment for winter storage.
20. Rake fallen leaves from lawns and add to the compost pile.
Lawn care
21. Remove warm-season crops as they begin to decline.
22. Warm-season vegetables won’t like the winter weather; replant with cool-season types.
23. Guarantee continual harvests with small, but successive, plantings.
24. It’s too late for new tomatoes, peppers and eggplants; replant in March.
25. Continue herb plantings in ground or containers; they love cool weather.
26. Harvest herbs frequently to encourage fresh growth; preserve or share extras.
27. Caterpillars have been feeding on corn and tomatoes; control with natural sprays.
28. Start seeds of the cool-season crops as needed to have transplants available.
29. Select vining crops to trellis and make the most from small garden plots.
30. Gardeners with limited space can grow their favorite vegetables in large containers.
31. Use clean containers and fresh potting soil to reduce pests and encourage growth.
32. Feed vegetable gardens every three to four weeks with composted manure or a general fertilizer.
33. Feed container plantings every other week or use a slow-release fertilizer as labeled.
34. Feeding time is over for all fruiting trees, shrubs and vines; feed again in March.
35. Observe watering rules; microsprinklers can often be used at anytime in gardens.
36. Plantings need less water during the cool weather; water when the surface soil begins to dry.
37. Add new cold-tolerant fruits to the landscape; delay tropical fruit plantings until spring.
38. Delay deciduous fruit tree prunings until next month; citrus pruning until mid-February.
39. Peach trees may start flowering but don’t worry there are plenty of buds for normal fruit set.
40. Keep covers handy to protect cold sensitive crops from frosts and freezes
Landscape plantings
41. Landscape plantings made lots of growth with minimal storm damage.
42. Delay major shrub pruning until late winter: only remove out-of-bounds growths.
43. Pansies and other viola-type flowers have been hard to find but should be available soon.
44. Save money; one spreading petunia is all you need to gradually fill a hanging basket.
45. Add poinsettias as accent features to landscapes; consider leaving them in their containers.
46. Consider color combinations in the landscape like pink petunias, dusty miller and snapdragons.
47. Avoid planting the same flowers each year in the same spot to reduce pest problems.
48. Incorporate organic matter with older annual beds and sandy soils to encourage plant vigor.
49. Divide and replant perennials.
50. Fertilize annual flowers monthly or use a slow-release fertilizer as labeled.
51. Apply a slow-release fertilizer to container plantings for a winter feeding.
52. Winter is a stress-free time to add hardy trees, shrubs and ground covers to the landscape.
53. Select trees and shrubs for their drought tolerance and pest resistance.
54. Camellias bloom throughout winter; select and plant your favorite colors.
55. Pruning time is over for most plants; out-of-bounds shoots can be removed as needed.
56. Feeding time is over for all trees, shrubs and vines.
57. Water new plantings plus annuals and perennials frequently to keep the soil moist.
58. Lightly top dress mulch layers to conserve water, control weeds and provide cold protection.
59. Hurry to plant wildflower gardens to have blooms for spring.
60. Eliminate invading vines covering trees and shrubs.
61. Use the cooler weather to transplant trees and shrubs; delay transplanting palms until spring.
62. Check and adjust supports holding trees and palms in an upright position as needed.
63. Remove old soil from container gardens to give new plantings a fresh start.
64. Old soil from containers can be tilled into established gardens
65. Renew mulch layers with light top dressings; most layers should be 2 to 3 inches thick.
66. Turn compost piles at least monthly to speed the process.
67. Add a bird feeder and bird bath to the landscape.
68. Repair and repaint birdhouses, landscape furniture and fences.
69. Winter weather is unpredictable; be ready to protect your cold sensitive plants.
House and foliage plant care
70. Poinsettias are available in several colors; try to find one of the newer ones for your home.
71. Give holiday plants a cool, bright spot away from vents; keep mums and poinsettias moist.
72. New Christmas and holiday cactus often drop their flower buds when given a new location.
73. Overwatering Christmas and holiday cactus can cause them to rot; wait until the surface dries.
74. Start paperwhite narcissus and amaryllis bulbs for gifts and winter blooms
75. Replace declining foliage plants with new greenery.
76. Move cold sensitive outdoor foliage plants to warm locations.
77. Check for water needs frequently; thoroughly moisten when the surface soil begins to dry.
78. Wash foliage with a mild soap solution to remove dust and control pests.
79. Move plants to brighter locations as natural light levels decline during winter.
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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