November Tips for the Garden 2008

We have definitely had more moisture than usual this year. However, you still want to watch for dry periods and water your plants if the soil dries out, especially for new plantings. Roots of plants grow in winter months and need moisture before the ground freezes. You can plant trees and shrubs anytime the ground is not frozen. This will give the plant more time to become established before the next hot summer. Add a fire pit to your outdoor living space and enjoy cool evenings around a crackling fire. Remember to turn your clocks back the first weekend in November. There are many things to do in the yard and garden before the season ends. So, dig in to the tasks listed below and enjoy the outdoors as much as you can!

• Now is a good time to collect soil samples and test the pH and nutritional levels. Lime will increase the pH level if it is low. Sulfur will lower the pH level if it is high. The product labels and the staff at your local Garden Center can help you determine the rate to use for your situation.
• Till the vegetable garden to expose many insect pests to winter cold and reduce their numbers in next year’s garden.
• Keep leaves raked up and off the lawn to prevent injury to turf grasses.
Continue mowing lawn grasses as long as they keep growing, 2-3” high is good.
• Apply Winterizer fertilizer to lawns to strengthen plant stems and roots for winter growth and early spring green up.
• If we have dry periods before the ground freezes, water perennial beds, shrubs, and trees.
• Plant tulips and other spring bulbs now through December.
• Start paperwhite, narcissus, and amaryllis bulbs indoors now thru December.
• After the first hard freeze, mulch rose bushes heavily to a depth of 12” to cover the plant graph area properly using bark, compost, or straw with rose collars. Prune back longer canes to 24-36” to prevent whipping from wind in the winter. Hold off on heavy pruning until April of next year.
• Roll up and store garden hoses on a warm, sunny day.
• Towards the end of the month, be sure to shut off and drain any outdoor water pipes or irrigation systems that may freeze during cold weather.
• Cover garden ponds with bird or pond netting to prevent leaves from fouling the water. Oxygen depletion from rotting organic matter can cause a winterkill of pond fish.
• Take steps to prevent garden ponds from freezing solid in winter. Using a floating garden heater in the pond will lessen the chance of ice damage.
• Mulch strawberries with straw for winter. The best time to do this is after several nights of 20° F, but before temperatures drop into the teens. Apply straw loosely, but thick enough to hide plants from view.
• Set up bird feeders. Birds also appreciate a source of unfrozen drinking water during the winter. Use one of the many styles of birdbath heaters or heated birdbaths available at garden centers.
• When feeding the birds, set up a variety of feeder types to get the best assortment of birds to come to your yard. Tube feeders are good for songbirds, platform feeders are good for cardinals and larger birds, and suet is a great source of fat and energy for woodpeckers and all bird types.

Winter houseplant care: reduce or eliminate fertilizer until spring, shorter days mean slower growth, slower growth means less frequent watering. Plants in plastic pots need less water than those in clay pots. Plants in cooler rooms need less water and will have slower growth than those in warm rooms. Creating additional humidity is always beneficial. An easy way to increase humidity is to use trays filled with water and large pebbles. Place the plants on the pebbles so they will not sit in the water, but they can get the benefit of a higher humidity level as the water evaporates.

The fall season is ending, but outdoor enjoyment can continue especially with the new outdoor living trends of today. Can you believe that it is November already? Wow, from November 1, there are only 27 more days until Thanksgiving, 51 days until the first day of winter, 55 more days until Christmas and 62 more days until January 1, 2009! And you know how fast the next 62 days are going to fly by! So fasten your seatbelts and enjoy the outdoors as you prepare for winter….Enjoy your yard and garden in every season!

Time to go….See you in the Garden....
Sandi Hillermann McDonald

October Tips for the Garden 2008

FALL-THE PERFECT TIME TO GARDEN:

Fall brings cooler air temperatures, continued warm soil temperatures, and more consistent rainfall - the perfect time to plant and transplant just about anything (especially trees) - and it is easier on us gardeners too! Tree planting is the most effective when it is done in the fall. This is because the tree roots continue to grow until the ground freezes and will grow again in spring allowing extra time for the tree to become established before our brutal summer weather hits. Trees should be fertilized towards the end of October, and tree fertilizer spikes placed at their drip line are a perfect choice. Use one tree spike per one inch of tree trunk diameter. This will make for beautiful foliage next spring! (The diameter of the tree is a measurement found at a cross section of the trunk 12” above the ground.)

Fall is also the best time to divide and transplant perennial clumps. Any spring or summer blooming perennial plants can be divided now. Make sure you prepare the area where the plants will be transplanted using some type of organic material, like cotton burr compost. Use compost at the rate of 1/3 compost to 2/3’s native soil for your garden projects. Cut back spent flower heads and foliage as it starts to die back for its winter dormant period. Leave ornamental grasses alone until early spring as their dried foliage will add a wispy, interesting texture to your winter landscape.

Lawn seeding should be finished by October 15th to insure germination and plant growth yet this fall. Choose a seed mix for your specific lawn area: sun, shade, sun/shade, play, drought, etc. Fescue mixtures are best for durability for our area. Fescue blends should be spread at a rate of 5 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. on bare ground, and 2-3 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. on a lawn with a 50% stand of grass. Be sure to aerate and renovate your yard when over seeding for the BEST results. Without these steps, it is like throwing grass seed on to concrete because our soil has such high clay content and compacts so easily.

It’s time to plan and plant for next spring’s bulb show! Tuck bulbs into your perennial border, mingle them amongst your ground cover, naturalize them around trees, or they can stand by themselves in beds and planters. Plant for a succession of blooms; start with the ‘early birds’ which include crocus and snowdrops, follow with an abundance of narcissus and hyacinth, and finish with a flourish of tulips and irises. When planting, fertilize with Dutch Bulb Food or Bone Meal and make planting easier by using bulb planters or bulb augers that fit your drill. For holiday blooms, buy paperwhite and amaryllis bulbs now to force blooms inside during the month of December.

DON ‘T take your hummingbird feeders down before mid October. The bird’s biological clock tells them when to migrate south. THEY ARE NOT dependent on us removing the feeders at a certain time! Hummingbirds who have started their migration from up north will appreciate finding your feeders along the way.

With winter coming, remember that gardening is not just confined to outside. Start an herb garden on a sunny windowsill and enjoy freshly snipped herbs or salad greens all winter long. Bring color and texture to any room-with blooming and foliage houseplants and cacti. Bring tropical plants that have spent the summer outside indoors before the night temperatures drop below 45F. Be sure to check carefully for signs of pests or diseases first, and treat as needed.

In October, you also need to prepare your water gardens for winter. Cut back dying foliage of hardy water plants and sink pots to the bottom of the pond. Cover your pond with a mesh netting to protect it from the buildup of falling leaves. In the winter, install a de-icer or pond heater to keep a hole in the ice for the fish to breathe. This will let the ammonia gases escape the pond. Stop feeding your fish when the water temperature reaches 55F.

Evaluate your summer plantings of annuals and vegetables while they are still fresh in your mind. What varieties worked well and what did not? Which varieties gave you the best flower display or yield? Remember that spring is just around the corner! So begin planning next spring’s flower and vegetable gardens now.

Enjoy your yard and garden in every season!
Sandi Hillermann McDonald