Gardening Tips: November
Get your garden and tools ready for winter
November brings a welcome slower pace in our gardens, as we finish our final planting and transplanting, clean and store garden tools and hoses, and enjoy chilly mornings by the fire. Some tasks to consider:
Improve soil while it is still workable by adding lots of organic matter like manure, compost or green waste like leaves and grass clippings.
If you beat the freezes, you can still plant daffodils, tulips and other Spring-flowering bulbs.
Continue to transplant perennials throughout the fall and winter as long as they remain dormant.
Transplant trees and shrubs. Dig a large root ball and transplant as soon as possible to prevent drying out.
Prune evergreens to maintain their shape.
After chrysanthemums have died, cut stems back to the ground and lightly mulch.
Mulch lawn with mowed, shredded leaves.
Clean and oil your garden tools before storing them for winter.
Drain gas from your lawn mower before storing for winter.
Drain garden hoses before disconnecting so they don’t freeze and burst.
If you enjoy birds, keep your feeders and suet baskets stocked for hungry feathered customers! Make sure to keep your bird feeders clean.
Linger by the fire in the mornings and savor a chance to slow down and enjoy the tranquility of late autumn.
- Compiled by Headwaters MG Kathy Booker
