Monday, October 19, 2009

November Gardens To Do List

By Marshall Clewis

In Northern United States and Canada

Plant deciduous trees and shrubs that are to be set this Fall without delay. Stake any that need support to prevent them being damaged by Winter gales. A mulch placed over the ground around newly planted trees and shrubs is helpful. The first part of November is Tulip planting time. Set the bulbs in deeply prepared, well-drained, fertile soil at even depth.

Now is the time to make hardwood cuttings of a wide variety of deciduous shrubs and some trees. Let the cuttings be pieces of shoots that have grown this year, eight to ten inches long and of healthy, well-ripened wood. After the cuttings are made, tie them in bundles and bury them horizontally outdoors or in a coldframe or cool cellar under six to eight inches of moist sand. In early Spring remove the bundles from the sand, untie them, and plant the cuttings vertically in nursery rows with just their tips showing above the surface.

There is still time to insert cuttings of evergreens, such as Hollies, Boxwood, Yews, English Ivy and Euonymus in a propagating bed of sand and peat moss in a cool greenhouse, but the cuttings should be made before they have been subjected to very severe freezing. Complete without delay the Fall clean-up of the garden. Make sure that everything is shipshape for Winter.

Don't be in too great a hurry to apply Winter cover to Roses, perennials, biennials and other plants. Not until permanent frost to a depth of three or four inches is in the ground should such protective materials as salt hay, branches of evergreens and cut Corn stalks be applied. Cover lightly rather than heavily and take particular care that the covering material permits the admittance of some light and the circulation of air about plants that retain their foliage through the Winter.

In locations where evergreens need protection from strong Winter sun and sweeping winds (by screening them with branches of Pine or other evergreen or with screens of burlap) install the screens before the ground freezes so deeply that it is difficult to push stakes into it. Coldframes filled with plants need care, especially in the matter of ventilating. Don't try to keep the climate inside them too warm and cosy. The plants they shelter must be prepared for severer weather to come. Ventilate freely whenever the outside temperature is above freezing, and cautiously whenever the outside temperature is between 32 degrees and some five or ten degrees below freezing. Now is a good time to lift from the garden and to set in coldframes stock plants of hardy Chrysanthemums that you will need next Spring for cuttings.

In the South

Plant deciduous trees and shrubs as soon as they have had a heavy leaf fall. This will usually mean the latter part of this month or early next. Roses and most fruits are included in this category. Late November and early December is the time to plant, in coldframes or outdoors, hardwood cuttings of many deciduous shrubs and a few trees.

Sow seeds of many vegetables in the lower and middle South. Kinds include Lettuce, Radish, Spinach, Cabbage and Kale in the middle South, and all of these, plus Carrots, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Celery, Swiss Chard, Onions, English Peas and Turnips in more southerly parts. November is a good month in which to lift, divide and replant perennials.

On the West Coast

Proceed as long as weather permits with the important work of making ground ready for planting to be done this Winter and Spring. In some parts of this area this is the time to plant Roses, fruit trees and other deciduous trees, asparagus plumosus and shrubs. In northern sections sow seeds of asparagus plumosus and hardy annuals where they are to bloom.

In southern California make sowings of Peas, Lettuce, Beets, Carrots and Turnips. In the Northwest clean up the garden in preparation for Winter. In colder sections give thought to preparations for protecting plants that need this care over Winter. Push ahead with the planting of any bulbs that have not yet been set out.

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