{"id":9457,"date":"2012-12-08T08:00:47","date_gmt":"2012-12-08T15:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/?p=9457"},"modified":"2012-12-07T17:32:20","modified_gmt":"2012-12-08T00:32:20","slug":"taking-advantage-of-this-mild-december-to-work-and-weed-in-my-southwest-idaho-garden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/taking-advantage-of-this-mild-december-to-work-and-weed-in-my-southwest-idaho-garden\/","title":{"rendered":"Taking Advantage of this Mild December to Work and Weed in My Southwest Idaho Garden"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_9538\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9538\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/mild-December-garden-mallow-and-shepherds-purse.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-9538  \" title=\"common mallow and shepherd's purse going strong\" src=\"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/mild-December-garden-mallow-and-shepherds-purse-300x218.jpg\" alt=\"common mallow and shepherd's purse going strong\" width=\"300\" height=\"218\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/mild-December-garden-mallow-and-shepherds-purse-300x218.jpg 300w, https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/mild-December-garden-mallow-and-shepherds-purse-1024x746.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9538\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">common mallow and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.msuturfweeds.net\/details\/_\/shepherd%27s_purse_36\/\" target=\"_blank\">shepherd&#8217;s purse<\/a> going strong<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Until the ground freezes, or snow covers the garden, I am intent on getting some work done in the garden.<\/strong> \u00a0It may seem unexciting, because it is mostly clean-up and maintenance. \u00a0Not much is growing. \u00a0<em>However, I consider any work that I do now will make the spring time planting much easier and more enjoyable.<\/em> \u00a0Hence, my list:<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #339966;\">Weed!<\/span><span style=\"color: #339966;\"> \u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">The perennials, like\u00a0<\/span><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.msuturfweeds.net\/details\/_\/common_mallow_11\/\" target=\"_blank\">common mallow<\/a>,<\/span> <\/span>have been looking very robust in the cool fall weather. \u00a0Other weeds, such as <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gardenguides.com\/862-prickly-lettuce-weed.html\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">prickly lettuce<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>(another <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thedailygreen.com\/green-homes\/eco-friendly\/prickly-lettuce-invasive-plants-460809\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">good link here<\/span>)<\/span><\/a> are still hanging around in a refrigerated time warp with mature seed pods, so that I have been able to contain them before they spread much. \u00a0Weeds like <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.msuturfweeds.net\/details\/_\/common_lambsquarters_31\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">common lambsquarters<\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.msuturfweeds.net\/details\/_\/redroot_pigweed_32\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">redroot pigweed<\/span><\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.msuturfweeds.net\/details\/_\/henbit_10\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">henbit<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> and <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.msuturfweeds.net\/details\/_\/common_purslane_34\/\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">common purselane<\/span><\/a><\/span> are annuals, sprouting seeds that might have waited until spring weather,<\/span><em style=\"color: #339966;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> so I am torn about whether to see if winter kills them, or just get rid of them.<\/span> \u00a0<\/em>It is a good time to weed out extra volunteers<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> of things like biennial hollyhocks. \u00a0They are pretty, but they are vigorous.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #993300;\">Clean up dead plant matter. \u00a0<\/span>Year after year, I have heard it repeated that such clean-up would help reduce disease and insects, but for so many years I was too overwhelmed at this time of year to do anything about it. \u00a0<em>Hence, I may have an unusual enjoyment of being able to do this now!<\/em> \u00a0For this and weeding, I keep on hand <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B0088ZEP6E\/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B0088ZEP6E&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=dailyimprov-20\" target=\"_blank\">Kirkland Signature Smart Closure Outdoor Lawn Trash Bags<\/a><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;\" src=\"http:\/\/www.assoc-amazon.com\/e\/ir?t=dailyimprov-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=B0088ZEP6E\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" border=\"0\" \/>. \u00a0These bags are very heavy duty, so I am not constantly struggling with them ripping. \u00a0Also, I prefer the tabs for tying them. \u00a0The drawstring bags are just one more thing for me to have to strain to operate.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Pruning. \u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">Some branches of <a href=\"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/pruning-somewhat-neglected-dormant-fruit-tree-in-late-fall\/\" target=\"_blank\">fruit trees broke under the strain of production<\/a> over the summer. \u00a0These need to be attended to so that the break site <em>doesn&#8217;t get ripped further in the coming winter weather.<\/em> \u00a0 Also, shade trees have often suffered from fall storms. \u00a0I have discovered that it is good to go around after a storm and see what might be <em>hanging by some many wood threads<\/em> and swinging from other branches in the larger trees. \u00a0Some of the branches we have found up there could have broken bones if they landed on someone. \u00a0Last for this list, I had some blackberries that were out of control that were trimmed back, so it will be easier to get a trellis up for them.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #339966;\"><span style=\"color: #339966;\">Plant &#8211; \u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">I actually have gone ahead and <a href=\"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/thinking-about-planting-peas-in-the-fall-in-southwest-idaho\/\" target=\"_blank\">planted some peas<\/a>. \u00a0I want to plant more this weekend, and it may be my last chance according to the weather report. <em>\u00a0Fortunately, the soil in my garden beds doesn&#8217;t tend to freeze as soon or as hard as the rest of the yard.<\/em>\u00a0Another good reason for all the composting!<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9519\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9519\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/mild-December-garden-broccoli-harvest.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-9519\" title=\"cutting broccoli in the snow flurry\" src=\"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/mild-December-garden-broccoli-harvest-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"cutting broccoli in the snow flurry\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9519\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">cutting broccoli in the snow flurry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_9521\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9521\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/mild-December-garden-broccoli-in-bucket.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-9521\" title=\"broccoli for dinner!\" src=\"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/mild-December-garden-broccoli-in-bucket-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"broccoli for dinner!\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9521\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">broccoli for dinner!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\"><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">Harvest! \u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">If I wasn&#8217;t out working in my garden some, I might not have noticed, or been inclined to pick, the delicious lettuce volunteers! \u00a0I know I have written a lot about <a href=\"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/do-you-let-your-lettuce-go-to-seed\/\" target=\"_blank\">lettuce volunteers<\/a>, <em>but I have harvested 10 times the amount of lettuce from my volunteers as from what I planted on purpose.<\/em> \u00a0\ud83d\ude42 \u00a0It is highly unlikely I would have any lettuce growing in my garden right now, if it weren&#8217;t for the volunteers. \u00a0Being outside working also makes it more likely I will dig my potatoes and carrots, or grab a leek or onion for the day&#8217;s dinner. \u00a0If I had planted a fall crop of broccoli, or kept up with the picking\/pruning of my <a href=\"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/the-other-row-of-broccoli\/\" target=\"_blank\">summer crop<\/a>, I might still be harvesting that. \u00a0<em>I did harvest from my summer crop as recently as late November.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_9531\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9531\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/mild-December-garden-lettuce-gone-wild.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-9531\" title=\"some of my late spring lettuce gone wild\" src=\"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/mild-December-garden-lettuce-gone-wild-300x202.jpg\" alt=\"some of my late spring lettuce gone wild\" width=\"300\" height=\"202\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/mild-December-garden-lettuce-gone-wild-300x202.jpg 300w, https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/mild-December-garden-lettuce-gone-wild-1024x691.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9531\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">some of my late spring lettuce gone wild<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9546\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9546\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/mild-December-garden-lettuce-volunteers.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-9546\" title=\"became this\" src=\"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/mild-December-garden-lettuce-volunteers-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"became this\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/mild-December-garden-lettuce-volunteers-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/mild-December-garden-lettuce-volunteers-1024x768.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9546\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">became this<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Knowing that there may be some indoor days ahead, I am planning for that, too.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\">Clean the greenhouse<\/span> <em>(or whatever space you use for starting seedlings late winter)<\/em>. \u00a0It is going to be a deep, sparkly cleaning this year, that includes throwing out some house plants. \u00a0It&#8217;s not that I am against anything that is purely decorative. \u00a0It&#8217;s just that we all have our priorities and they are taking up space where I may try to grow some greenhouse tomatoes.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">Grow some greenhouse tomatoes! \u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">I bought the seeds when I bought my pea seeds. \u00a0I have never tried this before&#8230;. \u00a0I&#8217;ll probably add some lettuce, while I&#8217;m at it. \u00a0I have those nice <a href=\"http:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/easy-grow-light-stand-for-seedlings\/\" target=\"_blank\">grow light stands<\/a> that Greg made me, <em>that I will be able to reach as soon as I clean&#8230;<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Make my gardener&#8217;s Christmas list. \u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">He keeps asking me what I want, so I&#8217;ve decided to be easy to get along with and give him some ideas. \u00a0\ud83d\ude42 \u00a0The trouble is, once I get started, the list just keeps growing. \u00a0<em>I should probably post it in the greenhouse somewhere for my spring birthday!<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div><strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A gardener doesn&#8217;t ever have to be bored!<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&nbsp; &nbsp; Until the ground freezes, or snow covers the garden, I am intent on getting some work done in the garden. \u00a0It may seem unexciting, because it is mostly clean-up and maintenance. \u00a0Not much is growing. \u00a0However, I consider any work that I do now will make the spring time planting much easier and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,19],"tags":[49],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9457"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9457"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9457\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9457"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9457"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyimprovisations.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9457"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}