Garden Patch Pointers:

November Pointers

 

 

 

 

Send your garden question to rhschuler@verizon.net

Garden Patch Pointers for November
By Master Gardeners Robert H. and Hoberley Schuler

November brings delightful color changes and begins a period of anticipation for working outdoors in the cooler weather.  Take advantage of any rain softened ground to dig out stumps, take out or install irrigation pipes, and dig post holes.  Pound stakes into the ground to protect and brace top-heavy plants against the threat of winter winds.

The change in the weather warns of possible frosts to come and alerts the gardener to move pots of tender plants to protected areas.   Set up frameworks around prized subtropicals so they can easily be covered on a windy or a frosty night.  Use cloth, not plastic as plastic could burn the plant.

Prepare for a colorful winter garden by planting flowers that will brighten the landscape with happy faces such as pansies, violas, and Johnny jump-ups.  There are so many more varieties and colors to choose from this year.  You can also get instant color from ageratum, calendulas, English primroses, Iceland poppies, ornamental cabbage, petunias, primroses, and snapdragons.

Trees with fall color should be selected at your nursery and planted now.  Choices include Chinese tallow, crape myrtle, ginkgo, and liquid amber.

Plant flower seeds of ageratum, alyssum, bachelor button, lobelia, companula, ornamental cabbage and kale, candytuft, columbine, coreopsis, cosmos, delphinium, forget-me-not, foxglove, hollyhock, larkspur, nasturtium, pansy, viola, petunia, poppies, penstemon, phlox, calendula, salvia, snapdragon, and sweet pea.

Plant vegetable seeds of beet, bak choi, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, Chinese cabbage, kohlrabi, leeks, sugar peas, onion, parsnip, potato (if available), radish, spinach, Swiss chard, and turnip. Plant seeds in succession through winter and early spring for continuous harvest.  Vegetable plants at the nurseries will give you a head start for broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and chard.   Try some of the cauliflower varieties that curve their leaves over the head to protect the flower from sunburn.

Roots and bulbs of asparagus, garlic, horseradish, onion, shallots and strawberries can be planted this month

Potted plants that are not frost tender should be transplanted now to get a full season of root growth before new top growth starts in the spring.  From now through February is the prime time for most hardy evergreens to be transplanted.  When transplanting from one spot in the garden to another, be sure you have dug a large enough hole, take as much of the roots as possible with as much soil as possible (roots that dry out will never recover).  Plant immediately, planting at the same level as at the previous location.

Nurseries now have a good selection of colored leaf foliage plants, plants with berries, and fall/winter blooming plants. 

Perennials that are great to plant this time of the year include agapantha, bergenia, chrysanthemum, coral bell, columbine, Canterbury bells, daisy, dayliliy, dietes (butterfly plant), foxglove, gazania, marguerites, penstemon, poker plant, primulas, and sweet William.  Cut perennials to the ground after they have bloomed and the foliage is deteriating to give them a fresh start next February.  Be certain to place trimmings in the compost pile.

Bulbs for spring bloom should be planted this month.  Scilla, hyacinth and other soft bulbs should be planted right away.  Hard bulbs, corms and tubers like tulip, anemone, gladiolus, ranunculus, and Dutch iris can be planted in succession every 2-3 weeks for a longer blooming season.  Tulips should be refrigerated for 4 to 6 weeks before planting.  Daffodil leaves will start to appear later this month if you planted them in October.
Remember the bigger the bulb, the deeper they should be planted.

If you have bulbs left over or find more on sale, plant them in containers as close as practical but not touching,  this will give you a great show this spring.  Tulips and daffodils do not need to be planted deep when they are in pots.  Try some hyacinths, and narcissus in the center ringed with freesias for a grand fragrance.

Cyclamen plants are available now in full bloom.  Purchase your favorite colors for Thanksgiving decoration.  Indoors, they like a cool spot with bright light (no direct sun).  Keep the plant from a direct heating source as they will dry out the flowers.   If the room remains warm at night, move them to a cooler place.  Feed every two weeks to encourage blooming.  Each plant can produce more than 30 blossoms a year if the spent blossoms are removed.  They can be planted outdoors after flowering in a moist shady spot.  Plant the bulb leaving ¼ inch above the soil.

Cuttings of your favorite frost tender plants should be made in the next few weeks.  This insures a replacement should a heavy frost do irreparable damage.  Cuttings can be made successfully of carnation, coleus, fuchsia, geranium, impatiens, sages and salvias, and some deciduous shrubs.  Give them some light and frost protection.

Pruning should be limited to cutting out any dead wood in deciduous shrubs.  Don’t tip prune spring flowering trees or shrubs until after they have bloomed.  Frost tender plants need to have the top canopy left to protect the life of the plant if winter frosts are severe.

Pest control this month includes a dormant spray on either flowering or fruiting plums, peaches or nectarines apply after all the leaves have fallen.  Bordeaux and summer oil mixes should be sprayed to control leaf curl and other diseases.  A second application may be needed if you had real problems this year. Check with your nursery for other  products.  Clean up your garden; get rid of dead leaves and flowers to avoid harboring pest eggs and disease spores.  Compost your dead leaves mixed with some green cuttings, or manure.

Fertilizing of fall planted flowers is required this month.  Feed azaleas and camellias with an acid fertilizer before they go dormant during their blooming cycle.  When your bulbs have sprouted a good show of green, start a monthly fertilizing program.  All plants will benefit from a rich mulch that discourages weeds and retains moisture.

Lawns should have been planted by now and be ready for a balanced fertilizer to encourage good root growth.  Continue the greening of the lawn with a high nitrogen only product.

Shop for living Christmas trees while the selection is still good.

Compost pile and bin material that has been composted should be placed in the yard as mulch or for nutrients to a new garden bed.  This will empty the bin so that you can use the fallen leaves and grass clippings to start a new compost pile.  You can add some nitrogen or manure if you are short of grass clippings.

Harvest herbs and dry mint and basil leaves while the leaves are in good condition.  Oregano, parsley, rosemary and thyme leaves should still be in good condition throughout the winter.

Rain Gutters should be checked for leaves and branches.  It certainly is easier to wash out dried leaves with a good nozzle on your hose.

A Potpourri of colored leaves, green pine or conifer needles, acorns, pods and small pine cones can be collected this month for use for the holidays.  Mix with fragrant rosemary, citrus peels, rose buds and petals, and other herbs, and dry everything in a basket by a sunny window.

Place the dried ingredients in a plastic bag with your favorite perfume fragrance and some cedar or sandalwood chips.  Set in a cool place for about 4 weeks or more, stirring occasionally to blend the fragrances. 

If you are planning to plant new roses, trees, berries or other bare root plants in January, research the varieties to decide you want and see if your nurseryman has ordered or can still order for you.

Daylight savings time ends Sunday, November 2nd!  Turn your clocks back and check the clocks of your Automatic irrigations system!  MOST IMPORTANT, the watering times should be shorter and less often.

Robert H. Schuler, M. G.

rhschuler@verizon.net

GPP# 008 for November 1, 2008 “November Gardening”

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