Garden Solutions - November 2011

Water is the word of the month!! It is imperative to water your trees & shrubs, especially new plantings. Our fall season has been very dry - following a record heat summer. Even though the foliage is gone, the roots need moisture to build up spring buds and increase root growth. The amount of water needed may be less than when the foliage was on the plants, but water is still very important.

It is sad to watch the garden fading into winter, but at least we don’t have to say goodbye. Spring will return, as naturally as the sun will rise tomorrow morning. All we have to do is get the garden prepped so that it can rest until its renewal a few months from now. Here is a to-do list that will help you prepare your garden for its winter’s nap.

Clean out and cut back. Loads of dead leaves and rotten stalks on plants can harbor disease, even through the winter season. But, don’t cut all your plants back to the ground, and don’t pick up every leaf. It is a great treat to leave some seed heads on plants for the winter birds and ornamental grasses for their winter art in the garden. Leaving some plant stalks to protect the crowns of tender perennials is also beneficial.

Cover up. Mulch is the best winter protection for your plants. Wood mulch is the most common. Mulched leaves will also work. Wait until the ground has frozen slightly, usually around Thanksgiving for us, to ensure the plants are in their dormancy state. If the snow falls before you get the opportunity to get the job done, mulch over the snow. Some woody perennials and shrubs may benefit from soil mounded around the base. These plants, in our area include, roses, crape myrtle, butterfly bushes to name a few. Tender shrubs may need to be screened or wrapped with burlap or something similar, not plastic.

Dig in. There is still time to plant some garden jewels this month. Trees, shrubs and plants that have a root ball larger than a gallon can be put into the ground. In addition, now is the time to plant those spring beauties we call bulbs. To enjoy the beauty and bright colors of tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils as well as crocus and alliums, plant them NOW. Bulbs need 10-12 weeks of cold soil temperatures. Therefore, in our area you can plant up to the Christmas season, as long as frost hasn’t built up in the soil.

Write down. You will find that a garden log or journal will be very helpful next spring when you’re trying to identify those first tentative green shoots and wondering whether you divided that Hosta plant last fall or should you do it now. Draw a basic diagram of each bed, noting the plants and adding photos where you can. A little extra effort with your journal will pay off next spring.

Here are a few other duties to think about this month of November. Continue mowing lawn grasses as long as they keep growing, 3” is a good height. Apply Winterizer fertilizer to lawns to strengthen plant stems and roots for winter growth and early spring green up.

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.

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.

Enjoy the antics of wildlife and the beauty of plant art in the garden during this upcoming winter season. I will give you more to look forward to in the winter garden in December. Until then, Happy Thanksgiving to all and enjoy the outdoors as much as possible.

See you in the garden,
Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Garden Solutions - October 2011

Wow! What a welcome feeling to have cooler days and lower humidity. This is truly a beautiful time of year. It is a time of year we want to get back outside, reclaim our yards and gardens, and enjoy the fresh air. It is time for fall barbeques and bonfires and hayrides. Fall is the perfect time to evaluate the garden for improvement to your curb appeal, and it is the perfect planting time. The cooler crisp days of October are great for these following garden tips:

• Lawn seeding should be finished by October 15th this month 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 are 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 BEST results. Without these steps, it is like throwing grass seed on to concrete because our soil is so hard now from such a dry summer. Have questions??? Ask the experts at your local garden center.
• Keep leaves raked or blown off of lawns to prevent smothering new grass plants, especially in shady areas.
• Winterize your lawn mowers before storage, by draining gasoline from the tank and the gas line. It is also a great time to sharpen the blades so you will be ready for spring!
• Put a Winterizer type fertilizer on all lawns from mid October through November to promote early spring green growth, and have the best-looking lawn in the neighborhood.
• Now is a good time to apply lime if your soil tests indicate the need. (Acidic soils require lime, a pH of 6.8 or below.) Use the recommended rate of 50 pounds per 500 square feet per treatment. Free pH testing is available at most independent garden centers.
• YOUR HOME’S CURB APPEAL can be enhanced with pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, mums, pansies, kale, and the great selection of other plants that are grown for the fall season!! Check out some of the great new selections available today! Ornamental grasses add a lot of texture as well. Let your imagine run wild!
• Pre-emergent herbicides can be applied to control cool season weeds, such as chickweed and henbit now. You can apply either a granular or liquid application to an established lawn.
• The average first frost usually arrives about October 15th to October 20th. A few degrees of frost protection can be gained by covering tender plants with sheets, newspaper, burlap or lightweight fabric row covers. DO NOT USE PLASTIC; this tends to “draw in” the cold temperatures.
• Cannas, Dahlias and Elephant Ears can be dug when frost nips their foliage. Before storing them, allow the plants to dry under cover in an airy frost-free place, such as a carport. Store them in a cool, dry area such as a basement in paper sacks packed with peat moss. Drying bulbs thoroughly will keep them from rotting.
• Plant bulbs now for spring bloom (Tulips, Hyacinths, Daffodils, Crocus, etc.). Plant bulbs into groupings for a massed effect of spring color. To fertilize them, use bone meal or a complete bulb fertilizer at planting time.
• Bulb container gardens can be planted with a lasagna type planting arrangement (layering of bulbs in potting soil). Check with your garden center for ideas and recipes on this feature.
• October is an excellent month to plant trees, shrubs and perennials. This gives the plants a great start in the warm soil and cool weather of fall with plenty of moisture in the spring to become established before the harsh summer heat and drought arrives. The plants’ roots will continue to develop under ground until frost in the ground literally stops them!
• Continue to water your plants, especially evergreens, since soils are dry. Until the ground freezes, they need moisture for root growth even if they are going dormant. Once a week should be sufficient.
• After perennial and flower beds have been cleaned and raked for winter preparation, refresh them with a bark mulch for the winter months at a depth of 2-3”.
• Towards the end of October, trees should be fertilized and tree spikes 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)
• Gourds should be harvested when their shells become hard or when their color changes from green to brown.
• DON’T take 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 will appreciate finding your feeders along the way.

Enjoy your yard and garden in every season!

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