The weatherman says the La Nina weather pattern is responsible for our unusually warm start to December. As you read this column we have passed the shortest day of the year, Winter Solstice, and now the days are getting longer.
This is the time of year when we cut back many plants and shrubs, including Asters, Mexican Firebush, Lantana, Yellow Bells, Sages and Sunflowers. Do NOT cut back your roses until mid February.
While I was cutting back my Asters which had gotten too big, I dug up chunks of the plant to give to friends who had requested starts. Then their question was, “When do I plant it?” Fall and winter are good times to plant shrubs and trees. Periodic watering is nec essary when you first plant new shrubs or trees if we have no rain. The whole first year of the new plant’s life you will need to monitor its water. If you have planted a native plant then eventually you will not need to water. Native plants are adapted to our land and never require fertilizer or insect spraying.
