New England Nurseries’ Monthly Gardening Guide: November
The cold weather is starting to creep in, but it's not too late to finish your gardening tasks. There's still time to plant and fertilize, and don't forget to keep watering your plants! Read on for your November garden tasks.
· Storing spring-flowering bulbs: If you’ve dug up your spring-flowering bulbs, but aren’t sure what to do with them next, check out our Bulb Storing Guide.
· Keep watering: This task is important, ongoing, and often overlooked! Once temperatures start to drop, so does watering. If the ground is not frozen, your plants are still taking up water. They won’t need as much water as they do in summer, but you should aim for 1” per week. Rain gauges can be helpful for this information.
· Cut back perennials: Now that we’ve had a few killing frosts, and foliage is wilting and yellowed, it’s time to tidy the remainder of the garden. Cutting back perennials in the fall helps maintain a tidy garden, prevents disease, and pests, and promotes healthy growth for the next season. Use sharp, clean pruners to cut stems down to about 2-3 inches above the ground. One note, however, avoid cutting back beneficial perennials like coneflowers (Echinacea) and ornamental grasses, as they can be left for winter interest and to provide food for birds.
· Weed the garden: While this task may seem like a spring activity, it’s best to pull up those remaining weeds now. By doing this, you’ll keep them from coming up stronger in the spring.
· Fertilize: November is a great time to fertilize the grass and garden if you haven’t yet. Extended forecasts show potential for precipitation this month as well as some milder temperatures here and there. But don’t delay much longer as winter is on its way soon.
· Prepare and put away pots and tools: For those pots that you didn’t bring inside already, you’ll want to remove any dead plant debris and store the soil (if no plant disease was present). This is especially important for your ceramic and clay pots as they could break if not stored empty. And, as always, make sure your tools are clean and stored properly, and they’ll serve you for a very long time.
· Protect your shrubs throughout the winter: There are several ways to winterize your shrubs. If in a particularly vulnerable area, such as near an overhang, protect with a wooden A-frame, that will shield your shrubs from heavy snow and icicles.
Other ways to protect sensitive or exposed shrubs are to:
· Wrap them in burlap or breathable plant fabric to shield against windburn and frost damage. Secure the burlap with twine or stakes to keep it in place, but make sure not to wrap it too tightly, as this can restrict airflow.
· Tie up branches to prevent snow damage. For shrubs with multiple stems or delicate branches (e.g., arborvitae), gently tie them together with soft twine or garden tape to prevent branches from splaying under heavy snow. Start from the bottom and work upward, ensuring the branches are secured but not overly tight.
Our Monthly Top 10:
With our Christmas Trees ready to arrive in a few short weeks. Let’s take a look at 10 trees that have been used as Christmas Trees throughout history in New England.
1. Fraser Fir: Pronounced (FRA-zure), the Fraser Fir has short, soft needles with a silvery underside, strong branches, and excellent needle retention. Fraser’s have a strong and pleasant fragrance and is a top choice based on its symmetrical shape and long-lasting freshness.
2. Balsam Fir: Balsams have dark green needles, dense foliage, and a traditional shape. They are very fragrant and are often associated with the classic Christmas tree smell. These trees are known for holding their needles well.
3. Cook Blue Balsam Fir: These trees are celebrated for their striking blue-green needles and pleasant, classic balsam scent, perfect for holiday displays or year-round landscaping. They have soft, aromatic needles and a natural, full shape, making them an excellent choice for Christmas trees that retain their freshness throughout the season.
4. Douglas Fir: Douglas Fir Trees are soft, shiny green needles that radiate in all directions. They have a sweet and subtle fragrance. They are loved for their full, bushy appearance and strong branches.
5. White Pine: White Pines have long, soft blue-green needles, and flexible branches. They have a light pine scent and are chosen for their soft texture. Their branches are, however, not ideal for heavy ornaments.
6. Scotch Pine: Scotch Pines have stiff, medium-length needles with good color retention and a fresh pine scent. They are known for their excellent needle retention, even as the tree dries out.
7. Blue Spruce: Blue Spruce Trees have stiff, silvery-blue needles and strong branches. They have a mild fragrance and are valued for their unique color and sturdy branches that hold ornaments well.
8. Concolor Fir: Concolors have soft, bluish-green needles with a citrusy fragrance. They are increasing in popularity for their unique scent and long needle retention.
9. Noble Fir: The Noble Fir has stiff branches and blue-green needles with an upward curve. They have a strong and pleasant fragrance and are considered one of the best for their sturdy branches and elegant appearance.
10. Canaan Fir: The Canaan Fir is a hybrid of balsam and Fraser firs, with traits from both. The fragrance is similar to a balsam, and it possesses good needle retention.
This Month’s “Did You Know – Fun Plant Facts” is a pop quiz. Considering what you've just learned about popular Christmas trees and their characteristics, which type of tree would you classify the iconic Charlie Brown Christmas Tree as?
Current Gardening Trends: Leaving the leaves. There has been an increase in chatter about gardeners leaving the rake in the garden shed and letting nature take its course. Let’s take a deeper look into a few of the ecological and practical benefits of leaving the leaves in the garden.
· Natural Mulch and Soil Enrichment: As leaves decompose, they release nutrients back into the soil, enriching it naturally without the need for synthetic fertilizers. A layer of leaves helps retain soil moisture by reducing evaporation, which is beneficial for plant roots. Leaves can inhibit the growth of weeds by blocking sunlight.
· Wildlife Habitat and Biodiversity: Many beneficial insects, such as beetles, spiders, and caterpillars, use fallen leaves for shelter during the colder months. Additionally, some pollinators, like certain species of butterflies and moths, overwinter in leaf litter at various life stages (as eggs, larvae, or pupae).
· Soil Health and Structure: Decomposing leaves foster a rich environment for soil-dwelling organisms like earthworms and beneficial microbes, which help maintain healthy soil structure. A layer of leaves can also protect the soil from wind and water erosion, preserving the garden's topsoil and preventing nutrient loss.
· Reduced Garden Maintenance: By leaving leaves in the garden, you save time and effort compared to raking, bagging, and disposing of them.
· Environmental Benefits: Instead of bagging leaves and sending them to landfills where they decompose anaerobically and produce methane, leaving them in place or composting them reduces waste. Avoiding the use of leaf blowers or other motorized equipment also helps reduce emissions and noise pollution.
While all of that sounds great, there are some potential downsides to consider.
· Damage to Grass and Small Plants: A thick layer of leaves can create a barrier that blocks sunlight and air circulation, potentially smothering grass and low-growing plants. This can lead to dead spots or stunted growth in the spring. Excessive moisture trapped under a dense layer of leaves can encourage fungal growth and root rot in plants that don’t tolerate overly wet conditions.
· Pest Habitat: While leaves provide a winter habitat for beneficial insects, they can also attract and shelter harmful pests, such as slugs, snails, and certain rodents, which may damage plants when they become active. Also, leaves from trees or plants infected with certain diseases (e.g., leaf spot or mildew) can harbor pathogens that may re-infect plants in the following season.
· Appearance and Garden Aesthetics: Large leaves like those from sycamores or oaks decompose slowly and may remain on the ground longer than desired, delaying spring clean-up.
· Potential Impact on Lawns: If leaves are left in thick layers on grassy areas, they can block sunlight and airflow, leading to yellowing or dying patches of grass. The buildup of organic material can contribute to a thick thatch layer, which may hinder new grass growth.
So how do you decide which is the best practice for you? It comes down to strategy and choice. While it’s beneficial to leave leaves in garden beds and under trees, consider clearing pathways and grassy areas to prevent smothering the grass. If you have an abundance of leaves, adding some to your compost pile can enhance your compost with nutrient-rich organic matter. Spread leaves in thin layers to promote faster decomposition and reduce potential smothering. And avoid leaving leaves from plants with known diseases or pests to prevent re-infestation.
Greenery or Gear: Monthly Plant or Tool Spotlight
Summit Sticky Traps for HouseplantsAs you've moved your potted plants indoors and humidity levels decrease with winter approaching, you may notice an uptick in gnats, whiteflies, and aphids on your indoor plants. There are several effective solutions to address this issue, and one of our favorites is Summit Sticky Traps. These traps work quickly and effectively, are non-toxic, and are free from pesticides.
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