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November-December 2011 Garden Tips
1. Check your perennials, small trees, shrubs and evergreens for moisture and continue watering until the ground freezes.
2. Consider building or purchasing a cold frame (roofed enclosure), or using row-covering material to protect your plants from cold weather and extend the harvest of your cold crops.
3. Purchase amaryllis bulbs and plant them for holiday blooming. The trumpet-shaped flowers add color to indoor landscapes during the winter months.
4. If you have plants that are damaged by animals in the winter, consider trying a systemic animal repellant—absorbed through the roots of the plant rather than sprayed directly onto the surface of the plant. Apply this repellant before the plant goes dormant.
5. Watch for deer, rabbit, vole, and other animal tracks after each new snowfall. Place barriers or make plans accordingly.
6. Fall is the best time to feed your lawn. Apply a winter fertilizer. The roots absorb nutrients for optimal energy storage during the fall season, stimulating root growth.
7. A pretty alternative to boring burlap or fencing, your old Christmas tree or pine boughs can be propped on or against your favorite outdoor evergreen to protect it from the wind, sun, heavy snow, and animal damage.
8. While they are dormant, prune the non spring-blooming trees and shrubs for size and shape. It’s easier to see the shape and less stressful to the plants. Dormancy is the only time to prune oak and Honeylocust.
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Heidi’s Lifestyle Gardens
763-475-4960
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