Many believe that gardening is over as soon as the first frost hits. This belief may be true on a superficial level like flowers stop blooming, but there are numerous gardening tasks to complete in the fall. Here are a few gardening chores for November to consider:
1. Rake The Leaves: It’s not a good idea to maintain a thick layer of leaves on your yard during the fall and winter months. Snow mold diseases can develop, permeate through the yard and potentially kill the grass. When you rake the leaves in the fall, it allows the grass to soak up key nutrients from the sun. Removing leaves from the yard may also help your grass to grow thicker in the spring and summer months.
You can also take the raked leaves and chopped them up. The byproduct is nutrient rich and can be used as mulch in your beds for spring planting.
2. Keep Mowing The Yard: Continue to mow the yard until the grass stops growing for the season. This usually occurs after several consecutive hard freezes and consistent cold temperatures. When you prepare for the last cut of the season, be sure to mow the grass shorter to prevent disease during this wet month.
2. Prune Trees & Bushes: It’s a good idea to prune your trees and bushes after the first frost. Removing dead and diseased branches will promote new, healthy growth in the spring. Pruning will also keep the disease from spreading to the rest of the tree.
3. Mulch Your Beds: Cover your beds with a thin layer of mulch to add extra nutrients to the soil. Mulch can also protects plants from damaging winds and winter weather.
4. Turn Off Spigots: Turn off spigots (outdoor faucets) before there is a hard freeze. This may help to prevent pipes from freezing as temperatures plummet. Cover spigots with styrofoam spigot covers for added insulation. Sprinkler systems should be closed off as well.
5. Plant Fall Bulbs: Consider planting daffodil, crocus, and hyacinth bulbs in November. This action will produce beautiful Spring blooms.
If you complete these gardening chores in November, you may find that your garden and yard have an easier transition from winter to spring. These actions set your yard and flower beds up for a successful growing period in the spring.
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