Best Horticultural Tips for November
Garden
1. Do not worry about protecting shrub roses for winter. They are not grafted. They can take the cold.
2. Not all mums for sale are hardy for this area (zone 5a). Check the tag to make sure.
3. When planting spring bulbs, add bone meal or super-phosphate to the hole. Since phosphorus does not move readily through the soil, it must be incorporated into the soil below the level of the bulb.
4. Fall is a great time to divide perennials, especially those that bloom in spring and summer, such as: bloodroot, Artemisia, daylily, foam flower, garden phlox, cranesbill geranium, goatsbeard, peony, salvia, Shasta daisy, blazing star liatris.
5. If you insist on planting bulbs in a row, always plant doubles. That way you get more foliage and flowers for your digging efforts. And speaking of digging, if there is a cordless drill in the house, buy an augur attachment to make the holes. Bulb planting will never get any easier than that. No cordless drill? Put it and the augur on your list for Santa!
6. Want to brighten up a deck or patio? Grab a large container and plant layers of bulbs—early bloomers on top, later bloomers down deeper. You will appreciate the burst of color when spring arrives. Put in an unheated garage for winter. Or leave outside with a covering of chicken wire over the top to prevent the squirrels from digging and disturbing the bulbs.
7. Winter weed annuals germinate in the fall, overwinter as tiny plants, mature in the spring, flower, set seed, and then die. (This is why many people apply pre-emergent to the lawn in late September to mid-October.) Examples of winter weed annuals include henbit, purple deadnettle, and common chickweed.
8. Summer weed annuals germinate in the spring, grow actively during the summer, flower, set seed, and die in the fall. Examples of summer weed annuals include crabgrass, prostate spurge, and purslane.
9. Remember snow is an insulator for plants—and that is a good thing.
10. Clean the dirt off garden tools as you finish using them. Spread a light coating of oil and then wipe it off. This helps prevent rust and allows you to start out clean next spring.
11. If you did not fertilize your Christmas cactus on Halloween, do it the first week in November. And, you can successfully grow this plant by leaving it in the same window all year long. There is no need to stick it in a closet! But do remember to give the pot a quarter turn each week when you water it so that it grows evenly.
12. Plant and water amaryllis bulbs for Christmas bloom.
13. Tall sedum is so drought tolerant you do not have to worry about watering.
14. Cut back perennial stalks to 4-6 inches or let stand for winter interest.
15. Cut rose canes back to 24 inches to protect against excessive wind burn. Continue to water, water, water your roses. Clean up leaves with blackspot or any other disease.
16. On warm days, let the hose trickle on trees, especially newly planted ones, until freezing weather comes.
17. The OPPD Arboretum—108th Blondo—as well as Halleck Park is a great place to enjoy fall foliage.
18. Time to begin feeding birds. Chickadees do not migrate. They eat 20 times more in winter than in summer.
19. Start a garden wish list for the holidays.
20. A biennial lives for only two years. First year the foliage emerges. Second year the plant sets flower and seed. Examples: rose campion, dames rockets. Be patient.
21. Soil type, rainfall, sun exposure, wind, heat, and microclimates within a growing area all play a role in determining what will grow in your yard. If something did not grow well this past season, do an investigation online or at the Extension Office to see if you should try moving it to another spot in the yard.
22. Wait until the ground freezes to apply winter mulch. Applying it earlier provides habitat for plant-eating animals and encourages disease.
23. Dispose of household and garden chemicals at Under the Sink in Omaha, off 120th, north of L Street: 402-444-7565.
24. Flowers come in all sorts of colors, but a genuine blue pigment is rare.
25. DO NOT pile soil or mulch over roots and onto the trunk of a tree. This can cause decline over time and even death as roots need oxygen and bark on a tree can rot. Trees that break off at ground level in a windstorm often have rot as the underlying problem. If you cannot see the root flare on a tree, it has been planted too deeply.
26. You can plant container-grown lilies anytime during the growing season, but get them in the ground as soon as possible after purchase.
27. Repeat bloomers: some shrubs put out the usual flush of flowers in spring, followed by sporadic blooming all season long: azalea, hydrangea, lilac, weigela, and viburnum.
Lawn
1. Mulch mowing of leaves is
--much easier and returns complex organic material to the soil
--less time consuming than bagging
--not a contributor to thatch
2. Nutrient uptake will decline as grass growth slows. Make Nov. 1 your cut-off date for mowing (Unless, of course, you are still mulching fallen leaves).
3. Although it is too late to seed, it is still possible to sod.
4. Do soil preparation for dormant seeding now. After Thanksgiving until early March is the time to spread the seed.
5. Grass may grow by inches, but it is killed by feet! Avoid wearing paths in the lawn over winter.
6. Mild drought stress in fall for your lawn can actually improve cold tolerance a bit.
7. If you have ever had the opportunity to work in an established woodland garden, you will probably agree that the soil was amazingly rich. That is what tree leaves do for soil. If possible, do not bag leaves from your lawn. Mulch tree leaves to return organic matter to the soil. This is the best soil amendment—and it is free!
8. Store mower for winter by draining gasoline or by using a fuel additive.
Trees
1. Smoketree: these plants flower on 2 to 3-year-old wood. Remember before trimming.
2. All trees, thin or thick-barked, can be damaged by a lawn mower or weed whacker. So, either be careful or monitor whoever mows.
3. It is not too late to plant trees and shrubs for autumn growth.
Garden
1. Do not worry about protecting shrub roses for winter. They are not grafted. They can take the cold.
2. Not all mums for sale are hardy for this area (zone 5a). Check the tag to make sure.
3. When planting spring bulbs, add bone meal or super-phosphate to the hole. Since phosphorus does not move readily through the soil, it must be incorporated into the soil below the level of the bulb.
4. Fall is a great time to divide perennials, especially those that bloom in spring and summer, such as: bloodroot, Artemisia, daylily, foam flower, garden phlox, cranesbill geranium, goatsbeard, peony, salvia, Shasta daisy, blazing star liatris.
5. If you insist on planting bulbs in a row, always plant doubles. That way you get more foliage and flowers for your digging efforts. And speaking of digging, if there is a cordless drill in the house, buy an augur attachment to make the holes. Bulb planting will never get any easier than that. No cordless drill? Put it and the augur on your list for Santa!
6. Want to brighten up a deck or patio? Grab a large container and plant layers of bulbs—early bloomers on top, later bloomers down deeper. You will appreciate the burst of color when spring arrives. Put in an unheated garage for winter. Or leave outside with a covering of chicken wire over the top to prevent the squirrels from digging and disturbing the bulbs.
7. Winter weed annuals germinate in the fall, overwinter as tiny plants, mature in the spring, flower, set seed, and then die. (This is why many people apply pre-emergent to the lawn in late September to mid-October.) Examples of winter weed annuals include henbit, purple deadnettle, and common chickweed.
8. Summer weed annuals germinate in the spring, grow actively during the summer, flower, set seed, and die in the fall. Examples of summer weed annuals include crabgrass, prostate spurge, and purslane.
9. Remember snow is an insulator for plants—and that is a good thing.
10. Clean the dirt off garden tools as you finish using them. Spread a light coating of oil and then wipe it off. This helps prevent rust and allows you to start out clean next spring.
11. If you did not fertilize your Christmas cactus on Halloween, do it the first week in November. And, you can successfully grow this plant by leaving it in the same window all year long. There is no need to stick it in a closet! But do remember to give the pot a quarter turn each week when you water it so that it grows evenly.
12. Plant and water amaryllis bulbs for Christmas bloom.
13. Tall sedum is so drought tolerant you do not have to worry about watering.
14. Cut back perennial stalks to 4-6 inches or let stand for winter interest.
15. Cut rose canes back to 24 inches to protect against excessive wind burn. Continue to water, water, water your roses. Clean up leaves with blackspot or any other disease.
16. On warm days, let the hose trickle on trees, especially newly planted ones, until freezing weather comes.
17. The OPPD Arboretum—108th Blondo—as well as Halleck Park is a great place to enjoy fall foliage.
18. Time to begin feeding birds. Chickadees do not migrate. They eat 20 times more in winter than in summer.
19. Start a garden wish list for the holidays.
20. A biennial lives for only two years. First year the foliage emerges. Second year the plant sets flower and seed. Examples: rose campion, dames rockets. Be patient.
21. Soil type, rainfall, sun exposure, wind, heat, and microclimates within a growing area all play a role in determining what will grow in your yard. If something did not grow well this past season, do an investigation online or at the Extension Office to see if you should try moving it to another spot in the yard.
22. Wait until the ground freezes to apply winter mulch. Applying it earlier provides habitat for plant-eating animals and encourages disease.
23. Dispose of household and garden chemicals at Under the Sink in Omaha, off 120th, north of L Street: 402-444-7565.
24. Flowers come in all sorts of colors, but a genuine blue pigment is rare.
25. DO NOT pile soil or mulch over roots and onto the trunk of a tree. This can cause decline over time and even death as roots need oxygen and bark on a tree can rot. Trees that break off at ground level in a windstorm often have rot as the underlying problem. If you cannot see the root flare on a tree, it has been planted too deeply.
26. You can plant container-grown lilies anytime during the growing season, but get them in the ground as soon as possible after purchase.
27. Repeat bloomers: some shrubs put out the usual flush of flowers in spring, followed by sporadic blooming all season long: azalea, hydrangea, lilac, weigela, and viburnum.
Lawn
1. Mulch mowing of leaves is
--much easier and returns complex organic material to the soil
--less time consuming than bagging
--not a contributor to thatch
2. Nutrient uptake will decline as grass growth slows. Make Nov. 1 your cut-off date for mowing (Unless, of course, you are still mulching fallen leaves).
3. Although it is too late to seed, it is still possible to sod.
4. Do soil preparation for dormant seeding now. After Thanksgiving until early March is the time to spread the seed.
5. Grass may grow by inches, but it is killed by feet! Avoid wearing paths in the lawn over winter.
6. Mild drought stress in fall for your lawn can actually improve cold tolerance a bit.
7. If you have ever had the opportunity to work in an established woodland garden, you will probably agree that the soil was amazingly rich. That is what tree leaves do for soil. If possible, do not bag leaves from your lawn. Mulch tree leaves to return organic matter to the soil. This is the best soil amendment—and it is free!
8. Store mower for winter by draining gasoline or by using a fuel additive.
Trees
1. Smoketree: these plants flower on 2 to 3-year-old wood. Remember before trimming.
2. All trees, thin or thick-barked, can be damaged by a lawn mower or weed whacker. So, either be careful or monitor whoever mows.
3. It is not too late to plant trees and shrubs for autumn growth.