The San Diego area is one of few climatic zones worldwide that features unique planting opportunities during the winter. Although in December most people's thoughts are on holiday activities, if you wish, you can garden with a great deal of success this month.

ALMANAC

TEMPERATURES

Average highs

Graphic: In the garden (PDF)

Coastal 65°-66°

Inland 68°

Inland valleys 67°-70°

Mountains 52°

Desert 69°

Average lows

Coastal 45°-49°

Inland 44°-45°

Inland valleys 37°-41°

Mountains 29°-35°

Desert 43°

AVERAGE PRECIPITATION

Coastal 1.17"-1.74"

Inland 1.55"-1.66"

Inland valleys 1.24"-2.94"

Mountains 3.78"-4.56"

Desert .75"

CITY OF SAN DIEGO RECORDS

High 88°, 1963

Low 32°, 1879, 1891

Monthly precip.7.71", 1889

DECEMBER MOONS

Full Dec. 4

Third Dec. 12

New Dec. 20

First Dec. 27

EVENT OF THE MONTH

Quail Botanical Gardens' annual Garden of Lights is now one of San Diego's most popular holiday traditions. Starting at dusk Dec. 7, the grounds will sparkle with tens of thousands of lights, creating a winter wonderland for seasonal fun. Music and hot mulled wine warm adults, while children delight in crafts, marshmallow roasting and visits with Santa. Festivities are under way 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 7-10, 14-23 and 26-30. Admission costs $8 for adults; $6 for members, seniors, active military and students; and $3 for children 3-12. Children under 3 are admitted free. There are additional fees for some activities. For more information, visit the Web site at www.qbgardens.org.

GARDEN QUESTIONS?

Call the UC Cooperative Extension Home Garden and Pest Control Information Hotline, staffed by master gardeners from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, (858) 694-2860.

PLANTING TIPS FOR THE MONTH

PLANT 2007 AARS WINNERS

Bare-root rose plants for the 2007 All-America Rose Selection winners will be available at local nurseries and garden centers later this month. There were three 2007 winners chosen this year, and they are real beauties. Strike It Rich is a modern version of the 1950 All-America Rose Selection winner, the popular Sutter's Gold. A medium tall, upright grandiflora, it features clusters of long-stemmed blooms that are a deep golden-yellow blended with ruby red. It has a strong, spicy fragrance and long elegant buds. Moondance is an unusual floribunda that bears generous trusses of glorious creamy white flowers. Rainbow Knockout is a bushy, compact landscape shrub rose loaded with deep, coral-pink blooms with yellow centers. It is very easy to grow.

ORDER 2007 SEED CATALOGS

Most mail-order seed companies publish their new catalogs during December. The following companies will send you a free 2007 catalog, and they offer a large selection of new, established and unusual flower and vegetable varieties:

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, 2278 Baker Creek Road, Mansfield, MO 65704; phone (417) 924-8917; on the Web at www.RareSeeds.com.

Burpee Seeds, 300 Park Ave., Warminster, PA 18991; phone (800) 888-1447; on the Web at www.burpee.com.

Nichols Garden Nursery, 1190 Old Salem Road N.E., Albany, OR 97321; phone (800) 422-3985; on the Web at www.nicholsgardennursery.com.

Park Seed Co., 1 Parkton Ave., Greenwood, SC 29647; phone (800) 213-0076; on the Web at www.parkseed.com.

Seeds of Change; P.O. Box 15700, Santa Fe, NM 87592; phone (888) 762-7333; on the Web at www.seedsofchange.com.

Tomato Growers Supply Co., P.O. Box 2237, Fort Myers, FL 33902; phone (888) 478-7333; on the Web at www.tomatogrowers.com.

Territorial Seed Co., P.O. Box 158, Cottage Grove, OR 97424; phone (800) 626-0866; on the Web at www.territorialseed.com.

NEW 2007 DAY LILY WINNER ANNOUNCED

The All-American Daylilies organization has recently announced the winner for 2007. It's called Lavender Vista and features large, beautiful, fragrant blooms in a striking lavender shade. To find out more about Lavender Vista and past day lily winners, visit the All-American Daylily Selection Council Web site at www.daylilyresearch.org. Here you can view the winner and locate the closest garden center offering All-American Daylilies, or you can place an order online.

BEGIN WINTER PRUNING

Winter pruning of deciduous fruit trees may be started this month. First remove any diseased wood, then prune to the training method adapted to the particular tree. Make clean cuts that are flush with the trunk; do not leave stubs, as they may rot and provide access for insects and diseases.

KEEP PLANTING ROOT VEGETABLES

Even though you may have planted them in your fall garden, keep sowing seeds for beets, carrots, radishes and turnips. By planting them now, you can greatly extend your harvest period over our entire cool season.

SHOP FOR PYRACANTHA SHRUBS

December is a good month to select and plant pyracantha plants. The colorful berries will add cheer to future holiday seasons, and nurseries should have a good supply of the plants this month. Keep in mind that for good berry production, the plants should have a sunny planting site.

HARVESTING BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Brussels sprouts are produced along the stalks of the plants. They should be harvested from the bottom of the stalk upward when the sprouts are approximately one inch in diameter; if allowed to grow larger they acquire a strong flavor.

SELECTING POINSETTIA PLANTS

Select plants with foliage on stems close to the soil line; this is a good indication that the plants have active, healthy roots.

 Bill Sidnam is a veteran Southern California garden writer. He currently gardens in Auburn.

PLANTING GUIDE

FLOWERS TO PLANT

African daisy

Alyssum

Calendula

Canterbury bells

Candytuft

Carnation

Cineraria

Columbine

Coral bells

Cyclamen (from nursery plants)

Delphinium

Dusty miller

English daisy

Foxglove

Gaillardia

Hollyhock

Iceland poppy

Larkspur

Marguerite

Pansy

Penstemon

Primula

Shasta daisy

Snapdragon

Stock

Sweet William

Viola

VEGETABLES TO PLANT

Artichokes

Beets

Broccoli

Cabbage

Carrots

Celery

Endive

Garlic

Kale

Kohlrabi

Lettuce

Onions

Peas

Radishes

Spinach

Swiss chard

Turnips

PLANT OF THE MONTH: FLOWERING KALE

Flowering kale and its close cousin, flowering cabbage, belong in a winter landscape. Like edible kale and cabbage, flowering kale is grown for its beautiful and striking foliage.

Both flowering kale and flowering cabbage are prized for foliage that provides a spectacular display in the landscape, garden or in patio containers. Beautiful leaf rosettes in both pastel and bright shades of rose, pink, purple and also a creamy white emerge from blue-green foliage and spread their cheer for an extended period during cool weather.

JUDY SIDNAM

What's the difference between flowering kale and flowering cabbage? Not much, and the same plant is sometimes sold under both names. However, flowering kale has a looser-leafed head, and its leaf edges are more fringed than flowering cabbage.

The plants need a sunny planting site and a soil that drains well; add organic materials at planting time. Plants should be spaced 15 inches apart, and the soil should be kept moist at all times. The plants will grow to 12 inches in height and spread to 14 inches. Feeding with a light application of liquid fertilizer every two weeks will encourage growth.

As fall turns into winter, the plants become increasingly attractive. The colder the weather gets, the more intense the leaf color will be.

Flowering kale and flowering cabbage are very effective landscape plants when used as edgings, added to beds and borders and when planted in window boxes and patio containers. When growing the plants in containers, use a potting soil and a time-release fertilizer.

Flowering kale and cabbage can be easily grown from seeds, but it is far too late in the season to start them from seeds; use bedding plants.

Local nurseries and garden centers should have a good supply of flowering kale and flowering cabbage bedding plants.