• Northwest, and Northern
  California Gardens
• Southwest, Desert &
  Southern Cal Gardens
• Northeast, Midwest &
  Central Plains Gardens
• Southeast &
  Mid-Atlantic Gardens
• Rocky Moutains &
  California Mtn Gardens
• Tropical &
  Sub-Tropical Gardens

Gardening Tips for November

Northwest and Northern California Gardens

• Clean up the perennial border before Old Man Winter arrives!
• If the leaves keep falling, you need to keep raking. If you have a compost pile, toss the piles in! Leaves can also be shredded and used as mulch on landscape beds and borders.
• Cut your flowers and herbs for drying before they get zapped by frost. (There are a number of flowers that dry nicely, including zinnias and statice.) Not sure if your plants will dry well? Think of it this way: If you're going to lose them to frost anyway, why not see what they look like dried? Just hang your cuttings upside down. If it doesn't work out, all you've lost are a few minutes.
• Take care of your gardening tools. Outdoor fall chores are winding down. When you're finished for the season, properly clean and store your digging equipment.
• Continue to plant spring-flowering bulbs like daffodils, tulips, crocus and hyacinths (and more) in the landscape. Remember, plant now in fall, to enjoy these blooming beauties in spring!
• Plan your Thanksgiving Day menu with a little winter squash. Butternut and acorn squash are traditional holiday additions - and are even good for you! Roasted squash is an easy and tasty way to get more of this healthful veggie into your family's diet.
• Keep your plants well-watered going into late fall and winter, paying close attention to any that have been recently planted. Plants that face winter "dry" are prone to damage and dieback during the cooler months. The trick is to water deeply and less often to promote self-sufficient plants. (Otherwise the more you water, the shallower plant roots will be.) A layer of mulch around the base of your plants will also help retain moisture.
• Create some "black gold" to add to your garden next year - it's easy when you compost! Garden debris (like spent annuals and vegetables) and fallen leaves make suitable additions to the compost pile.
• Consider buying a compost keeper for the kitchen. (Or add it to your holiday "wish list.") Some scraps you'd otherwise throw away can also be used to make compost.
• Plant some amaryllis bulbs in containers every two weeks from now through early winter for a continual indoor bloom display that can last until spring. Prized for its incredible trumpetlike flowers, amaryllis is easy to grow and enjoy.
• Force paper whites for holiday enjoyment. Blooming paper white bulbs are known for their intoxicating fragrance, especially during the winter holidays. If you'd like to enjoy them in December, now's the time to get started!

• Make a pinecone bird feeder with the kids and grandchildren: Just roll pinecones in peanut butter and birdseed. Hang the finished ornaments with rustic twine or ribbon in shrubs and trees near windows and seating areas for quiet observation and enjoyment.
• Get a head start on eliminating potential garden pests and problems for next spring: Do a thorough cleanup of your planting beds, taking care of any remaining annuals and vegetables in the garden. Any debris that's infested with insects or plagued by fungi should be thrown away - not composted. Good sanitation goes a long way in the garden!
• Winterize your lawn mower after the final cut of the season. Any repairs, sharpening or blade replacements should be done during winter so you and the mower are ready when active lawn growth resumes.
• Dig and store your tender bulbous plants. Nonhardy bulbs that are left in the ground will turn to mush during winter's freeze. Store your tender bulbs in a frost-free location until all danger of frost has passed come spring.
• Come to The Garden Party and share your gardening adventures with other home gardeners in your region, as well as around the country. Post pictures of your garden, write a blog, or ask expert green thumbs for more help, tips or suggestions on how to enhance your outdoor living experience.