Just keeping the monthly gardening tasks series of topics running. I know things are winding down and we are all getting ready for nights (and days) inside in the heat but what are you November gardening tasks?
I have had to drag hoses around to water my fall garden. I have a sprinkler system, but it waters more than needs watering. So I drag hoses. And mulch. That reminds me, I need more. I like to keep 3 or 4" of mulch on a garden bed all the time.
Mulch is what I need more of also. Other than moving potted herbs into the backroom when needed, there isn't much I need to do out there as of yet. I will be digging up, dividing, replanting and giving away some of the Canna at some point. Those things must think they are rabbits, the way they multiply.
I have to take down and empty all 10 of my hanging baskets as the bizzie lizzies have died due to the frost. :'( Also have to empty the big planters of their plants too, mulch the garden and then buy some frost hardy plants to fill baskets and containers for the winter months. :-D Apart from that just keeping the lawn as free of leaves as I can.
I have three days off starting tomorrow.I will buy mulch and spread it out ,try to get my hanging baskets down and try to get my little green house finished myself as it doesn't look like I will have help .I will try .I may not get it done but will do my best. I have to cut the Mandavilla's back and cover the base good so as to save them for next year. Thank goodness I have three days .I have to make some candles in there some how.I will go tomorrow to get the mulch.Does anyone know how far to cut back Confederate roses or do I just let them alone ?I have never had them before and I have 2 now same with Texas Star .I don't know how to get them ready for winter.Hope someone can help me.
I have to mulch also. I need to get all of my plants from under the oak in the back to the south side of the trailer so they can be covered in the event of a freeze. Hopefully we will find time to put the plastic on the greenhouse frame and I can put most of it in there. Let's see, rake leaves, and just general cleanup of the beds, and yes Toni, divide cannas. I have about 10 different cannas, and most will need dividing.
I've brought in the houseplants. Also set up a few tenders for overwintering. Cutting back the slimy old mess now but still enjoying a few blossoms. Ron is constantly herding the maple leaves and penning them up in the compost bins. Our Empress Tree is setting flower buds for the spring. These things flower before the leaves come out. Anyone else have one? muddy
I'm still working on all last months stuff. It got warm and we've been birdwatching. It was warberler migration, you know.
I parked all my tender plants in the greenhouse and still need to fix a leak it has - lots of dead daylily and iris leaves to clean up, some trimming still to do and plenty of leaves to rake around the fruit trees. In my yard, all winter long we have small branches and cones coming down from the firs, so it becomes part of the routine to scoop up branches and toss them in the yard-debris bins. Roses are still blooming, so I need to go out and deadhead them again.
I'm going out this morning and dig up my tender plants that need to be potted and but in my stormhouse to sleep the winter away. Lantanas, cestrums etc. I'm digging up my dahlias and gladiolas and tuberoses. These will be washed and dried a day or two and then hung in onion sacks in a closet. 8)
Randy and I hope to get the patio started on Sunday, hopefully finished too since the weather is going to be great even tho there doesn't appear to be any rain or cold weather on the horizon this year. I need to take the Sweet Potato vines off the windmill, I bought a Clematis vine to replace it. I notice that the Canna bed was on my to-do list last November also...and since it didn't happen then, getting the Canna bed re-made is still on the agenda and has moved to the #1 position. And paths, finishing the shingle paths is on the list. I need to move the Hawthorne shrubs and set up for wintersowing as soon as the work on the eaves is completed and they are painted.
November, around here, we pretty much have done all we can do seeing we've already been into frost now 5-6 times. so my thing now is to find an inside winter project so I don't get bored this winter-I do like crafts maybe I'll have to look in that direction to keep me busy.
