Gardening This Weekend: November 23, 2017

Here are a few of the most critical things you’ll want to accomplish before too much more time passes by.

PLANT

• Tulips and Dutch hyacinths must have 45 days in the fridge before you plant them outdoors by the end of the year. This is just about your last call to get that done. Daffodils and grape hyacinths can be planted at any time.
• Trees and shrubs can still be planted now, but you may have to hunt for them in the backs of the nurseries – behind the shipments of Christmas trees.
• Pansies and other winter color plants. Plant in raised beds of well-prepared, highly organic soil. They’re also outstanding in pots.

PRUNE

• Trim to re-shape foliage plants you’ve brought in from the patio for winter.
• Mow lawn to remove fallen tree leaves.
• Erratic growth from shrubs, but save major reshaping for two months from now (late January, early February).

FERTILIZE

• Pansies, pinks and other winter color with high-nitrogen, water-soluble plant food to keep them growing vigorously. Failure to feed adequately is a common cause of poor plant performance.
• Houseplants monthly with high-nitrogen, water-soluble plant food at half the recommended rate. Your goal for the winter is to maintain them status quo, not to encourage them to grow while they’re in the darker conditions indoors.
• Ryegrass and fescue (cool-season grasses) with high-nitrogen or all-nitrogen lawn food. Water immediately after feeding.

 

ON THE LOOKOUT

• Broadleafed weedkiller spray on a sunny, warm and relatively still day to kill cool-season broadleafed weeds before winter moves in. Read and follow label directions.
• Watch houseplants closely for signs of scale insects, mealybugs, whiteflies and spider mites. These pests commonly come in from outdoors when we bring plants inside for the winter.