Around the Yard

Things to do this week:

* Keep Planting. Fall is not over in December, at least as far as the planting season is concerned. Continue putting in winter crops and spring-blooming flowers.

Because in a typical year most of our rain comes in February, you can still get most of the benefits of fall planting of trees, shrubs, perennials and ground covers if you plant soon.

The biggest disadvantage of waiting until now is that days are getting colder and incredibly short. Gloves are a good idea when gardening in December.

* Lay Off Lawns. Don’t fertilize warm-season grasses such as Bermuda or St. Augustine until spring. Cool-season grasses such as tall fescue (Marathon and the like) can be fertilized lightly. Lawns need much less water now, so be sure to adjust timers. This is especially true in shady areas, which will need virtually none, unless that shade is accompanied by tree roots. Water too often and you’re going to grow moss like they do in the Northwest.

* Start Strawberries. This is a good time to plant a field of King Charles V of France’s fave strawberries. They’re sold as inexpensive bare-root plants at this time of year. Strawberries do best in raised beds on most soils (like Charles’ regal beds at the Louvre) and prefer a slightly acid soil, so dig in lots of organic matter. Space them about a foot apart, and be careful not to get any soil on their crowns (the crown-like base of the plant) or they will rot.

* Tent Tomatoes. If you’re trying to grow tomatoes through the winter (it’s possible in milder areas), cover them with clear plastic sheeting on really cold nights. Be sure to remove the covering before the sun hits the plant in the morning.