November definitely isn’t time to halt in the garden and landscape. It’s a great time to “put things to bed” per say. You may have already completed some of these tasks – if so, just skip!
LAWNS
- Apply step 4 Fertilome Winterizer. Click here for a link to Evergreen’s 4 Step DIY lawncare program.
- Decide what to do with your lawn leaves. You can rake them and burn/bag them or have them removed. You can also just chop them up with a lawnmower OR just leave them as they are. Fallen leaves make a great host for a variety beneficial insects!
TREES & SHRUBS
- Although trees and shrubs can be planted year round, Fall is the BEST time for planting.
- Remove fallen leaves and debris from around Roses and other shrubbery.
- Winterize your Roses. Click here for a step by step guide.
- Click here for a list of what you should and shouldn’t prune this time of year.
GENERAL LANDSCAPE
- Clean and store garden tools.
- Remove weeds (still an important step to help prevent more spread of seed germination)
HOUSEPLANTS
- Pot up some indoor blooming bulbs such as Paperwhites or Amaryllis for beautiful indoor color. (They make great presents, too!)
VEGETABLE GARDENS
- Ensure that your fall crops are getting enough water. As the temps cool, less water will be needed but a good weekly water may still be needed at the time.
- Plant cover crops in the garden, if desired.
PERENNIALS
- Cut back perennials that have been damaged by frost such as Hosta, Coneflowers, Daylily, etc. You can read more about late fall pruning here.
- Cut back Banana trees and cover with straw, pine needles, or pine bark soil conditioner to help protect over the winter.
FLOWER BEDS & CONTAINERS
- Plant mixed pots of Pansies, Violas, Cabbage, Kale & Swiss Chard.
- Plant Spring blooming bulbs such as Tulips, Crocus, & Daffodil. Read more about planting bulbs here
- Store clay and non-frost proof ceramic pots indoors for the winter. Use a scrub brush and hose to clean them out and once they dry, store in a protected place such as a garage. TIP: Store clay pots separately. Do not stack them as they can expand and become very difficult to separate
WATER GARDENS
- Click here for a detailed post on Winterizing Your Water Garden
- Remove all floating aquatic water Hyacinths and Lettuce
- Cut back all marginal aquatic plants
- Cover water garden with netting to prevent leaves and debris from falling into water garden
- Do a thorough cleaning of filters and pumps
- We recommend keeping pumps running throughout the season to prevent freeze damage
- If you decide to turn them off, make sure they are either removed completely from the water garden or completely empty of water to avoid freezing and breakage