Around the Yard

Things to do this week:

* Shop for fall color. Transplants from the East or any fan of fall foliage should visit nurseries now, as leaves begin to turn in December in this climate. Near the coast, the list is pretty short, being mostly ginkgo and liquidambar, but farther inland it grows to include some rather colorful trees such as crape myrtle, persimmon, pistache, Sapiumm sebiferum and zelkova.

If you are looking for plants that have decorative berries or fruits, whether they be the orange or red berries on a pyracantha or the papery orange seed capsules on a flame tree (Koelreuteria), now is also the time to shop for these. Many berried plants, such as our native toyon, not only make nice holiday decorations but are important food sources for birds. And since it is against the law to pick them in the wild, planting one in your backyard to share with the birds makes good sense.

* Plant ornamental cabbage and kale. So-called ornamental cabbage and kale are winter’s equivalent of summer coleus, being bedding plants that are grown strictly for their sometimes outrageous foliage. Breeders in Japan particularly have been pushing the limits, so there are now quite a few kinds of ornamental cabbages and kale. Unlike coleus, however, they prefer full sun. Plant them in beds or containers, alone or with other winter bedding plants. They’ll make a splash for a long time, since it is the foliage, and not the flowers, that is decorative.

* Dig summer bulbs, roots and rhizomes. Although it looks like it’s going to be a dry winter, you may want to dig up roots or other underground parts of tuberous begonia, caladium, gladiolus and dahlia that bloomed in summer. While dormant in winter, they can easily rot in cold, wet soils (if dirt is well-drained or these plants grow in pots, they’ll probably do fine left alone). After digging, let them dry for a day or two, then shake soil from the roots and store in a cool, dark, dry place (in the garage is good) and replant in spring.