Seven Gardening Tasks to Complete in November
Fall is here, and as I look out into the yard, the message is very clear: November is the last chance to prepare your garden and yard systems for winter and possible frost, as well as the last chance to prune, clean, plant, and spray. Here are all the gardening jobs you should do in November.
Plant new trees, shrubs and bulbs.
Fall is a great time to plant. It has rained, so the ground is soft and easy to manipulate—until it freezes. Plant new trees, shrubs and perennials such as bulbs and low-lying flowers in the ground. Mulch them well, covering the ground around the new plants with a few inches of wood chips or leaves, but be sure to clear the ground around the trunk itself.
Conversely, if you are planning to pull out your dahlias and begonias for the winter, take the time to do so now. Both bulbs are somewhat winter-hardy, but in severe frosts there is always a risk of losing some of them. Given how valuable these tubers are, many people dig them up, dust them off, and store them in a cool garage all winter.
Place the pots in place
As the garden goes dormant for the winter, it’s nice to have a little color around the junction, and plant pots are a great way to do this. There are winter annuals such as pansies, dusty miller, flowering kale and even herbs. They won’t last all winter, but they will make your porch more attractive to your holiday guests.
Transparent beds
If you’ve been a little sloppy (for me) clearing out your beds after the summer this year, it’s time to get to work. First, remove everything edible. It’s time to make the pasta sauce in the kitchen (I throw all the leftover veggies in it). Then begin chopping down the plants, leaving the roots in place to compost over the winter. These tall plants become a threat when they become heavy with ice and sway in the wind. Clean up what’s above the soil line, then compost and mulch the beds for the winter. Consider cover crops if you like, but bring them in now. It’s too late for anything else except maybe cabbage, and I firmly believe there’s already too much cabbage in the world. Be sure to pull out any weeds so they don’t have a chance to grow roots or drop seeds.
Prune dormant summer trees
The rule of pruning is that you wait until the plant goes dormant, which is usually after flowering. Summer is a good time for flowering or fruiting trees, but be sure to choose a dry day rather than a humid or wet day, which encourages the development of viruses and fungi. Without leaves, you get a glimpse of the tree’s branch structure, so you can identify which branches are pointing anywhere other than up and out and cut them off. If a branch crosses another, it must be removed. You want a vertical, open structure. These cuts will heal better this time of year; you want to keep pruning done before early spring when the trees begin to grow again.
Spray plants affected by fungal diseases or pests.
You should not fertilize anything at this stage. This stimulates new growth which we do not want as we are in a period of dormancy. New shoots will be especially susceptible to wind and cold. You may want to consider using sprays to treat plants affected by fungal diseases or pests. This is called “dormant spraying” and it simply means that we spray while the plant is dormant to prevent problems. If you have a stone fruit tree with curly leaves, you can spray it with a copper fungicide, for example. Your daycare provider can help figure out what is needed to treat your specific problem and whether a topical spray will help. Topical sprays are also available to combat some pest problems. Again, your daycare is the best place to get a diagnosis and treatment plan.
Winterize your sprinkler or irrigation system
If you haven’t drained your sprinkler, drip or irrigation system and live where there’s a risk of freezing, take care of it. Drain water and remove hoses, close spigots, and store tools, trellises, and other gardening equipment.
Leave the lawn alone
If you haven’t stopped mowing yet, stop now. Stop watering, fertilizing and sowing; During the winter, the lawn should go into a dormant state.