Gardens of the Wine Country

ITCHING TO GET OUTSIDE ON THE NICE DAYS BUT DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AROUND THE GARDEN, HERE'S YOUR LIST? > Dormant prune your roses and fruit trees. > Spray the roses and fruit trees with dormant copper oil. It must be sprayed before the buds break so do it now or by the end of February.... > If you want more roses or fruit trees this is the time of year to buy them in bare root form, all the varieties are plentiful this time of year. Bare Roots must be planted before the buds break so get them in now or before the end of February. > If you have drip irrigation, fertilize everything now or before the end of February with 10.10.10 or 15.15.15 fertilizer, easy to find at most garden centers or home improvement centers. Fertilizing now will allow the winter rains to percolate the fertilizer down into the soil and root zone of the plants...not easy to do during the dry summers when you're relying on drip irrigation only. > Prune your perennials and ornamental grasses...most can be cut down to the ground. > Finally, remove any left over fall leaves and general garden debris laying around your planting beds, rake them up and remove it all now. The debris harbors insects, larvae, etc. etc., all things you don't want in your spring garden.

Here is a preparedness checklist from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help you prepare for the coming Winter months.

Plant your Spring bulbs now! Learn more in our most recent blog post.

Some great tips here for newbie gardeners.

These unfussy, long-lived plants pump out beautiful foliage and flowers year after year. Plant in fall or spring when cooler temperatures help them get a healthy start: