ü
The most important step is to make sure all
plants--perennials, shrubs and trees--are well watered throughout November to
insure adequate winter food reserves. That final, thorough soaking before the
last frost is essential, but not enough. Soak evergreens and new plantings
again in midwinter during a warm spell if moisture is not abundant.
ü
Mulching is an important step but the purpose is
not to keep plants warmer, rather to keep soil temperatures from fluctuating so
much.
ü
Protect the trunks of newly transplanted or
young thin barked trees to minimize frost cracks when temperatures fluctuate
wildly. White plastic roll covers and paper wrap, rolled from the bottom up,
are good choices.
ü
Till up the vegetable garden to expose many
insect pests to winter cold and reduce their numbers in next year’s garden.
ü
Continue mowing lawn grasses as long as they
keep growing, a height of 2-3” is good.
ü
Apply Winterizer fertilizer to lawns to
strengthen plant stems and roots for winter growth and early spring green up.
ü
Plant tulips and other spring bulbs now through
December.
ü
Dig and store tender bulbs planted this spring
such as Dahlias, caladiums, and elephant ears.
ü
Start paperwhite, narcissus, and amaryllis bulbs
indoors now thru December.
ü
Roll up and store garden hoses on a warm, sunny
day.
ü
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.
ü
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.
ü
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 and provide an area for gas exchange that is needed to
sustain fish.
ü
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. 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.
ü
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.
ü
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.
ü
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.
ü
Leave ornamental grasses standing tall for
winter interest in the garden and for feeding the birds. Cut them down to 2-4”
in early spring.
It is hard to
believe how fast November has arrived. From November 1, there are only 26 more
days until Thanksgiving, 51 days until the first day of winter, 55 more days
until Christmas and 62 more days until January 1, 2015! In addition, 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
