Home Grown Notions: November Garden To-Do List

by Beth Cook, Mammoth Cave Transplants
Days are getting shorter and colder, but there is still work to be done in our gardens to get them settled in for winter. Here are just a few things that can to be done in November:

1. There is still time to plant trees, shrubs, roses, and perennials.
2. If no rain, keep watering trees and shrubs weekly until the ground freezes.
3. Clean up any plant debris and remove fallen leaves to prevent disease and insects.
4. Remove debris and leaves from gutters, overflow can damage foundation plants.
5. Keep weeding your landscape and flower beds.
6. Divide perennials if needed
7. Cut back perennials and grasses.
8. “Tuck In” your beds and plants with mulch to protect them winter.
9. At the middle to end of the month cut back mums and mulch.
10. Plant bulbs for Spring blooming now like tulips, hyacinths, daffodils.
11. Store your Summer flowering bulbs such as cannas, gladiolus, dahlias, etc.
12. Keep harvesting your fall garden.
13. Before the first freeze drain and store water hoses.
14. Drain and store garden fountains,
15. Store Flower pots, so they don’t weather or crack.
16. Start planning your Spring gardens for next year!

The main thing to get done before winter arrives is tidying up your garden and landscape. You will have less work to do in the spring, and more time to spend planting and doing jobs you enjoy in the garden instead of cleaning! Removing debris, leaves, old plants, decayed fruits and vegetables lessens the chance for diseases, fungus, and insect infestations.

"November comes
And November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.

With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.

The fires burn
And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring."
-  Elizabeth Coatsworth