November 2021 Gardening Tips

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Dear Gardening Friends, How did it get to be November?! Seems like we have jumped right into winter like weather. If it makes you feel any better, I haven’t gotten everything done I wanted to do yet. Mother Nature just isn’t cooperating. However there are a few things that need attention if you haven’t already done them: Pull all annuals. It’s tough when some still look so good but they are easier to deal with before they collapse from frost  It’s late to bring in annuals as the nights have been so cold, they won’t adapt well to the warm house. This goes for cuttings also. Bring in garden ornaments, plant stands, pots, hoses, or anything else that’s best not kept outside all winter.  Hoses should be emptied and brought into the garage or basement. Leaving them outside to freeze can cause sections to burst and leak. A handy way to store them is to coil the hose up and tie with twine in 2 places. That prevents the hose from getting all tangled and you can stack or hang them easily. This is easier to do on a warmer day as the hose won’t be as stiff to coil. If it is sunny lay the hose in the sun for a while and it will be more pliable.  Now is the time to make winter critter protection a priority. My fencing will start going up this weekend. Depending on how the weather goes I’m waiting a while for the shrub coats. It’s predicted to be a warmer than average November, but time will tell. (Check my website for last months Garden Tips. They contain more detailed info on winter protection.) If you have any products in an unheated garage like deer spray, Neem oil, liquid fertilizer or anything that would be exposed to freezing temps move them to the basement or other location where they will not freeze. Freezing ruins the effectiveness of some products. Tools should also not be left outside. Clean off tools before you store them as any dirt left on over the winter will cause them to rust or corrode. You can sharpen them now or in the winter when you’re dreaming of spring. Check stored firewood for insect infestations. Remember not to use or move firewood out of your area to help prevent the spread of invasive insects like the Emerald Ash Borer. It’s illegal to move firewood more than 50 miles in NYS. If you have a rain barrel, drain it before freezing sets in. A good idea to use the water that’s left is to syphon the water out and use it to water house plants during the winter. I attach a hose to the faucet on the rain barrel and run it from the rain barrel into 2 large, covered garbage totes in the basement. Gravity does the work for you and your houseplants will thank you. Houseplant tips: If you brought in houseplants that were outside all summer check them for insects. They will probably drop some leaves which is a normal reaction to being moved inside. Make sure to give them the appropriate conditions. It’s best not to crowd them although being grouped together lightly helps hold in humidity. Most plants will not do well in windowsills where it’s colder and the leaves come in contact with the cold glass. It’s better to put up a table in front of the window.   Gifts for gardeners: Lessons from Nature offers gift certificates for Garden Consults or perennials are the perfect gift for any gardener. Just contact me for details. I can send the gift certificates to you via email or directly to the person you’re giving it to.             Have a safe and HEALTHY winter!! Lyn Chimera Lessons from Nature 170 Pine St. E. Aurora, NY 14052 lyn@lessonsfromnature.biz 716-652-2432           Copyright © 2014 Lessons From Nature, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences  *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*