KJFM NEWS — Garden Talk is produced monthly at the Adair County University of Missouri Extension Center in Kirksville, Mo.
NOVEMBER GARDENING TIPS
Ornamentals
- Continue watering evergreens until the ground freezes. Soils must not be dry when winter arrives.
- Remove spent flowers and foliage of perennials after frost damage.
- Newly planted broad-leaf evergreens such as azaleas, boxwood and hollies benefit from a burlap screen for winter wind protection. Set screen stakes in place before the ground freezes.
- Now is a good time to choose nursery stock based on fall foliage interest.
- Plant tulips now.
- Mulch flower and bulb beds after the ground freezes, to prevent injury to plants from frost heaving.
- Winterized roses after a heavy frost. Place a 6 to 10-inch deep layer of mulch over each plant. Top soil works best. Prune sparingly, just enough to shorten overly long canes. Climbers should not be pruned at this time.
Vegetables
- Fall tilling the vegetable garden exposes many insect pests to winter cold, reducing their numbers in next year’s garden.
- Any unused, finished compost is best tilled under to improve garden soils.
- To prevent insects or diseases from overwintering in the garden, remove and compost all plant debris.
- Overcrowded or unproductive rhubarb plants can be divided now.
- Root crops such as carrots, radishes, turnips and Jerusalem artichokes store well outdoors in the ground. Just before the ground freezes, bury these crops under a deep layer of leaves or straw. Harvest as needed during winter by pulling back this protective mulch.
Fruits
- Keep mulches pulled back several inches from the base of fruit trees to prevent bark injury from hungry mice and other rodents.
- Fallen, spoiled or mummified fruits should be cleaned up from the garden and destroyed by burying.
- A dilute whitewash made from equal parts interior white latex paint and water applied to the southwest side of young fruit trees will prevent winter sun scald injury.
- Commercial tree guards or protective collars made of 18-inch high hardware cloth will prevent trunk injury to fruit trees from gnawing rabbits and rodents.
- Mulch strawberries with straw. This should be done after several nights near 20 degrees, but before temperatures drop into the teens. Apply straw loosely, but thick enough to hide plants from view.
Miscellaneous
- Now is a good time to collect soil samples.
- Roll up and store garden hoses on a warm, sunny day. It’s hard to get a cold hose to coil into a tight loop. Be sure to shut off and drain outdoor water pipes or irrigation systems that may freeze during cold weather.
- To prevent injury to turf grasses, keep leaves raked up off of the lawn.
- Continue mowing lawn grasses as long as they keep growing.
- Set up bird feeders. Birds appreciate a source of unfrozen drinking water during the winter.
- For cyclamen to bloom indoors, they need cool temperatures in the 50-60 degree range, bright light, evenly moist soils, and regular fertilization.
- Reduce or eliminate fertilizing of houseplants until spring.
