GARDENING CHECKLIST FOR NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER
By Carol Randle
NOVEMBER CHECKLIST
The following is from a column Janet wrote in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette last year. “Now is the transition time from active growth to dormancy. November also marks the beginning of the dormant season, which runs through February. Cleanup in the garden will go on, but we typically have a lot of plant material we can add to the compost pile in November. How happy and healthy your garden is now can determine how well it starts growing next spring, so do your cleanup chores.”
“Cut back perennials as they finish for the year, pull out the spent summer annuals and rake leaves. If you have hardy trees, shrubs or perennials that need to be moved from one part of your yard to another, now is a great time to move them. Be careful if digging plants when the temperatures are really low, so that you don’t expose the roots to very cold air or to drying winds for very long. Have the new hole ready before moving the plant.”
“Plants that sometimes struggle in a cold winter —-such as hydrangeas, azaleas and figs——should be moved at the end of the dormant season to allow the bulk of winter weather to pass first.”
ANNUALS
If you didn’t get all of your winter annuals planted, now is the time. The later you plant, the larger the plants should be. They must have their root system established before it gets cold. Be sure to fertilize when you plant and side dress during the winter on warm days. In addition to pansies, consider dianthus, dusty miller, snapdragons, and violas. For vertical interest, try mustard, kale, collards or chard. If you didn’t get any plants from the Master Gardeners Greenhouse, check out the local nurseries for other winter annuals. Look for healthy, large flowering annuals now. Not only will you have instant gratification with flowers, but they should bloom well for you all winter. If we do have dry spells, don’t forget to water, especially newly planted plants.
PERENNIALS AND BULBS
Are you cleaning and dividing your perennials? Don’t throw the extra plants away, pass them along. After a killing frost, mulch your beds three inches deep. Plant any bulbs now through December. Planting in masses looks better than planting in rows.
VEGETABLES AND HERBS
Fall and winter are quieter times in our vegetable gardens, but there are still things to do. After you have planted the winter vegetables, cleaned up, and composted, try to prepare some of the beds for spring planting. Then in February, instead of waiting for the soil to dry out, you can plant sugar and snow peas. Plant a cover crop in the other beds. More gardeners are planting a fall and winter vegetable garden. Season extenders in the form of covers or high tunnels can make winter production even easier. Janet has grown, in the past, cabbage, kale and Bok choy all winter outdoors with no added protection and still had a good harvest. Insects and diseases are not a challenge in the cool months, either.
HOUSEPLANTS
In central Arkansas, the average frost is early to mid-November, so pay attention to the weather forecasts and take whatever precautions are needed. If you have not moved your houseplants indoors, please move them in now. Don’t be alarmed if they start dropping leaves, because there will be a huge shift in their growing conditions. If you are storing houseplants or tropicals in the garage or under the house, make sure the move is prior to a frost, so you don’t lose your plants. The consensus is that, by now, all houseplants and overwintering flowering tropical plants should have been indoors for at least a month. They may still be showing signs of transplant shock.
Houses are particularly dry indoors with heat and lower lights, coupled with more static temperature, taking its toll. Cut off any yellow or damaged leaves and greatly reduce the amount of water you are giving them. Try to give them as much light as possible, but avoid fertilization. Our goal is to keep them alive and as healthy as possible. Overwatering is typically the number one killer of houseplants.
DECEMBER CHECKLIST
BULBS
If you have not started with your bulbs, remember that your spring bulbs must have a minimum of 12-14 weeks of cool weather before the stems can stretch and grow properly. Plant all remaining bulbs by early January, if possible.
ANNUALS
Winter annuals can also be planted if you have gotten behind. The later you wait to plant, the larger the transplants should be. Janet looks for plants that are blooming, especially if she is planting pansies, violas, panolas, and dianthus. Swiss chard, kale and cabbage need time to get roots established before a hard frost, but the past few years they have done extremely well. Fertilize at planting and every three to four weeks during the winter to keep them growing. If we have dry spells, remember to water, especially newly planted plants.
HOLIDAY HINTS
Holiday plants are arriving in all outlets now. Poinsettias still reign as the top seller, but you do have more options on sizes and colors. From desktop miniatures to topiary or hanging basket poinsettias, they all need the same type of care . . . bright sunlight and even moisture. With proper conditions the colorful bracts can stay showy for months. Color choices are the traditional reds to pink, white, plum and even a new orange variety. Also, speckled and bi-colored choices abound. If you want to try something different, bromeliads can come in great shades of red and green and last inside, easily, with minimal care for months. There are also ornamental peppers, paper white narcissus and amaryllis from which to choose. Holiday decorations often add an amazing amount of color inside without plants, but having something that can last after the season is nice, too, and they make great hostess gifts. If you use fresh greenery or Christmas trees indoors, remember how quickly they dry out. Try to keep the plants fresh with ample moisture. If possible, redirect or close the heating vent closest to the tree to keep it from drying out. Once you are done with your tree, consider recycling in a lake for the fish or as a haven for wildlife in a state park. Many parks collect them after the season. You can also decorate one for the birds outdoors. December blooms are: camellias, hollies, nandina, osmanthus, possum haw, rosehips, tea plant, viburnums and violets.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND MERRY CHRISTMAS
Thank you, Susan, for the years of good Magnolia Chronicles. We will miss you.
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