Things To Do For November:

For those growing carrots, beets, turnips or Jerusalem artichokes and wishing to extend the harvest into winter, apply a heavy mulch of straw to the crops to prevent the soil from freezing deep and ruining the crop. Parsley will continue to grow well into December, especially if covered by a basket on particularly cold nights.

Fertilize the lawn – after a soil test! November is the ideal time to develop a proper root system to get your lawn through next summer’s droughts and the soil test will tell you what formulation of fertilizer is best.

Remove heavy accumulations of leaves from lawn areas. Minor amounts can be shredded and allowed to filter through the grass to the ground. These leaf fragments have been found to be a good source of organic matter and minor nutrients for lawns.

Bring in all the hoses and to drain outdoor pipes and irrigations systems. Continue to water newly planted shrubs and trees if we do have a prolonged period without rain.

For Roses, Peonies, Lilacs, Dogwoods and other plants that may have had black spot, powdery mildew, or other foliar diseases, make certain that all the leaves, which could overwinter disease organisms, are removed from the base of the plants.

Shred and mulch your beds with newly fallen leaves. Why send your leaves to the dump? They can be shredded and serve as a great mulch for annuals perennial and shrub beds.

Cut back Asters as soon as they finish flowering to prevent self-sowing. As the frosts become more severe, more perennials will require cutting to the ground to keep the border neat and tidy.

For those with Fig trees, November is the time to wrap your plants or bring them into a cool basement or garage if they are in a container.

Finish planting bulbs. Remember, the need to be planted to a depth of 3x the diameter of the bulb. It always takes longer than we think, and some garden centers may offer sales towards the end of the month.

Finish emptying clay containers that can crack over the winter and store in a protected area or upside down under a tarp if left out doors.

At the end of the month, pot up Paperwhite Daffodils and Amaryllis for Holiday displays. Save some interesting seed capsules from perennials (such as Blackberry Lily) and combine them with Holly or Beautyberry for a wonderful Thanksgiving centerpiece.

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Houseplants Part 2

Watering practice is crucial. More plants are killed by overwatering than from becoming too dry. Most of the big stores will have care tags on the plants. Be sure to read and follow directions. I have found that sometimes the care tags can be misleading. It is best to consult a houseplant book for accurate information if you have one. African violets will droop if overwatered. This is a signal the plant is being kept too wet. The medium should become dry between waterings. Fertilizing properly will keep the plants happy. One can go by the instructions on the label, although you may prefer to make more frequent, diluted applications such as quarter strength, weekly. About once a month it is wise to flush the medium with clear water to avoid buildup of excess soluble salts. Most foliage plants will be perfectly happy without fertilizer application between now and March, when days are short and light intensity low. They can't use the fertilizer during this period. Many of the flowering plants can be fertilized lightly during the dark months. More next time on Pests and diseases.

Things to do in the flower garden for October

In the flower garden:

• Finish planting spring-flowering bulbs except tulips.
• Wait another two wees to begin planting tulips.
• Shred fallen hardwood leaves and use for mulch.
• Finish planting, transplanting spring and summer-fowering perennials.
• Order dormant roses, lily bulbs for November planting.

In the food garden:

• Harvest Brussels sprouts from the bottom up.
• Plant radishes for Thanksgiving dinner.
• Leave leeks, carrots, beets, spinach in the garden for harvest as needed.
• Wait until after frost sweetens kale, parsnips to begin harvest.
• Bundle spent corn stalks for Halloween decoration.

In the house:

• Deprive poinsettias, holiday cactus of all light from sundown to sunup.
• Make succession plantings of paper white narcissus.
• Allow amaryllis to go dormant.
• Water succulents only every three to four weeks, just enough to keep them from shriveling.
• Pinch back leggy vines for fuller grownth.

On the lawn:

• Keep leaves raked from grass.
• Continue mowing until growth stops.
• Treat germinating checkweed with a selective herbicide.
• Lime any time between now and spring.
• Fertilize if none has been spread since September.

Its time to do some chores for the Fall Season

In the flower garden-

• Plant minor bulbs without delay.
• Dig gladiolas with brown foliage. Dry, clean and store in brown paper bags.
• Transplant peionies in full sun no deeper than 2 inches deep from growing points.
• Order lily bulbs, dormant roses for November planting.
• Compost spent plant parts that are free from insects and disease.

In the house-

• Be sure potted plants are pest free beflore retuning them inside.
• Pot herbs for the winter windowsill.
• Give poinsettias full south sun.
• Withhold water from amaryllis, store in a cool, dark place for the winter.
• Keep leaves clean with a weekly bath in tepid water.

for more flower garden tips

Spring Bulbs

Spring Bulbs Expand your bulb plantings with blooms other than the usual tulips and daffodils. Winter aconite, for instance, blooms faithfully by Valentine's Day in the coastal area; snow drops often flower even earlier. Scillas are commonly found in spring gardens in many forms, the most common are not hardy but are great for forcing. One is Ornithogalum dubium, first cousin to star of Bethlehem, which has bright yellow or orange flowers with a black eye. It can produce up to 25 flowers per stem. The other is Veltheimiak called winter red hot poker, with foot-high stems topped with clusters of drooping tubular flowers. This oine will thrive in an east window and flowers in late winter or early spring. Plant fall-flowering bulbs on arrival Order minor spring-flowering bulbs for September planting Order daffodil bulbs for October planting, tulips for November planting

Container Recipe for Sun

For hot, sunny spots, try this creative combination of drought-tolerant annuals and perennials that stand up to the hear.

1. Purple fan flower-Grows 14 inches tall, 20 inches wide.
2. Toothache plant-Grows 12 inches tall, 30 inches wide.
3. Golden dewdrop-Grows 24 inches tall, 24 inches wide.
4. Tricolor sage-Grows 24 inches tall, 30 inches wide.

Tip-Clustering containers filled with both blooms and foliage helps keep the arrangement beautiful throughout the season. If the flowers fade or need a rest before the next wave of blooms, the foliage will keep the composition lively. Purple sage and golden dewdrop are beautiful foliage companions to the yellow blooms of the toothache plant and the long blooming, heat-loving flowers of New Wonder Fan Flower.

Compost pen to make

Compost pen to make

A 10' length of 4' wide welded wire fencing forms a circular compost pen slightly larger than 3' in diameter. Fasten the ends of the fencing together with wire or reusable clips. Turn the compost by unfastening the fencing and setting up the pen next to the freestanding pile; turn into the now-empty pen. To direct moisture into the center of your compost pile, drive a pole or length of pipe into the ground in the center of your pen so that it extends slightly above the top edge of the pen and your compost.

myorganicflower

Barrel Composters

Barrel Composters

If you have a small space you can compost in a garbage can or a steel drum. If you don't generate large quantities of compost materials you can just use a bigger bin. Either galvanized metal or heavey duty polyethylene cans will work. I prefer the polyethylene ones with a locking lid for this purpose. Always be sure to secure your lids with a strap of some kind.

Punch or drill 1/4 inch holes in the bottom, sides, and lid of drainage and aeration. Be sure to set the can up on bricks or concrete blocks so that it will drain properly. As you fill the bin, cover each layer of materials with a layer of soil or brown materials. To preven odors, stir the material once in a while, as barrel compost bins receive less natural aeration than other types of bins.