Gardening Highlights for November When I think of November, I know there has been a time change of an hour, falling back to give us another hour of daylight. Our hours of sunshine are diminishing but without a hard freeze, our landscapes are still flourishing in November. Geraniums and mums love the cooler nights. Rhododendrons and azaleas like less hours of hot sunshine. They love being sheltered by tall pines. Actually, the ultraviolet rays are more damaging to our skin during the winter, so continue to wear your sunscreen year round as you garden. Fewer hours of sun mean our landscape’s slowing down for its long winter’s nap. We can count on our freeze coming in November. November is a good time to apply your grass seed for next spring. However, I just learned of a new product at conference that you put on before the freezes come called: Hi-Yield Turf & Ornamental Weed & Grass Stopper. It is supposed to stop the dreaded Bermuda grass, creeping charley, and so many other types of weeds that are sucking the life out of our grass. Just be aware that you do one or the other. You cannot plant grass seed if you apply the product that stops the weeds. I am going to apply this product because I am tired of pulling out those long strands of Bermuda grass! Because of the drought periods we have had this summer, I believe this “weed” has had a “field day.” I for one am really tired of fighting them. Because this is the month of Thanksgiving we have to be grateful that we have the ability to make the world a more beautiful place with our landscapes. Pumpkins and gourds continue to beautify our landscapes as winter is approaching. Painting them or adding ornamentals to them can make them stand out in our yards.
Article & photos submitted by Sue Wilson of the Gibson County Master Gardeners
The leaves are going down and we are rehoming for vibrant colors due to the drier weather. Yard cleanup is a constant in October and November. It is good to mow over the leaves to help fertilize your lawn for spring. Of course, if you have many trees, then bagging them is a good thing instead of allowing them to clog our sewers. Now is also a good time to clean out our vegetable gardens. Always remember to bag any plant that dies from disease as soon as it dies and dispose of it in the trash. A disease took my zucchini plant very quickly this year, within two days of it looking healthy, it was gone. But on the upside, my tomato plants grew over my fence, through my fence, and continued to grow down the bank. Now is the time to take in your vulnerable hardscape items: glass, ceramic and most concrete items. Anything that can’t take the freezing and thawing or put another way, the contracting and expanding of the hardscape material. If in doubt, don’t leave it out. As our gardening season ends, our plans for spring begin. Spring will be here before you know it.
A Master Gardener Note Meet the 3rd Monday, March - November. Public welcome to attend. Interesting education about landscape & gardening beginning at 7 p.m. at the Senior Center.
As Always, Locally Owned & Operated
Colvin Funeral Home 425 North Main Street Princeton, IN 47670 812-385-5221
www.colvinfuneralhome.com www.corncolvinfuneralhome.com www.corncolvinfuneralhome.com
Corn-Colvin Funeral Home 323 North Main Street Oakland City, IN 47660 812-749-4021
Funeral Directors: Directors Mark R. Walter, Richard D. Hickrod and John W. Macklin Wells Richard D. Hickrod - Mark R. Walter - Brandi Macer - Jayanna
Page 24
November 2024
Small Town Living