November

Outdoor Gardening
Store all garden chemicals out of children's reach and in a place where they will not freeze.

Hardy spring flowering bulbs may still be planted.

Apply mulch around newly planted trees and shrubs.

Make final notes in record book regarding vegetable and flower successes, failures, harvesting.

Clean and repair all garden tools before storing for the winter.

Water newly planted ornamentals any time there is less than one inch of weekly rainfall. Be sure to maintain adequate soil moisture this month to aid good root growth prior to winter dormancy.

Clean out and reorganize storage area for garden tools and supplies.

Mound soil around the base of rose bushes and remove as many leaves as possible. Wait until the ground freezes to apply mulch.

Deciduous trees and shrubs can still be planted this month.

Don't forget to continue feeding the birds. You can receive a copy of our booklet on Plants that Attract Birds by sending us a business size self-addressed envelope with $.32 postage to Plants that Attract Birds, CES, 5106 So. Western Avenue, Chicago, IL., 60609.

Indoor Gardening
Reduce amount of water and fertilizer given to most indoor plants.

Protect indoor plants with plastic or paper wrapping before transporting outdoors.

Pot up tender narcissus for December blooms.

Pot amaryllis bulbs for holiday blooms.

December

Outdoor Gardening
Shop early for a Christmas tree to insure freshness.

Continue feeding birds through the winter months.

Send for seed and nursery catalogs so you will have plenty of time to look through them before it's time to order.

Monitor outdoor plants throughout winter for rodent and deer damage.

Apply mulch or cover of evergreen boughs to ground cover and perennial beds once ground has frozen.

Avoid walking on frozen grass. Blades will break and create unwanted paths.

Indoor Gardening
Place cacti and other succulents in a cool, bright location and keep dry to encourage flowering in spring and summer.

Place Christmas pepper, cyclamen, kalanchoes and blooming pots of bulbs in a cool, (55-60 degrees F) sunny window to achieve maximum blooming time.

Place poinsettias, Christmas cactus and African violets in a warm (70 degrees F) sunny window to provide color for the holidays.

Keep blooming holiday plants moist but not soggy. Check all holiday plants for insects and diseases before they are placed near other houseplants.

January

Outdoor Gardening
Put Christmas tree in backyard for birds or chop it up and use it as protective covering for perennials or broadleaf evergreens.

Plan garden layout and requirements.

Order seed and nursery catalogues if you haven't already done so.

Keep heavy snow loads from accumulating on shrubbery. Be sure to remove it before it freezes.

Continue feeding the birds.

Use calcium chloride products instead of sodium chloride to melt ice on walks and drives. Also mix in sand, cinders or ash to reduce amount of salt needed.

Check plants for rodent, rabbit and deer injury.

Attend garden lectures, meeting and workshops.

Indoor Gardening
Don't throw away holiday plants like poinsettias, cyclamen, Rieger begonia, kalanchoe and Christmas cactus, if properly cared for they can be brought back into bloom.

Give houseplants a bi-weekly shower to remove dust and insects.

February

Outdoor Gardening
Build or repair trellis for cane fruits and grapes.

Sharpen tools.

Order seeds and other garden plants like small fruits, fruit trees and perennials so they will arrive in time for spring planting.

If an anti-desiccant was applied to evergreens last fall it has cracked and peeled by now. When the temperature is above freezing a second application can be made.

Locate sources of fertilizers, pesticides and other garden supplies.

Prune ornamental trees and shrubs if necessary.

Indoor Gardening
Continue to give houseplants a bi-weekly shower.

Force branches of forsythia, cherry, flowering quince, pussy willow and cornelian cherry dogwood into flower by cutting stems three feet or shorter and bringing them indoors. Place them in a container of water in a cool, well lit room, away from drying heating vents and direct sunlight.

Start impatiens, begonias and geraniums from seed.

Inspect houseplants weekly for infestations of damaging insects.

Winter 1996
Winter Preparation for Ornamental Plants | Deicing Salt Can Injure Plants | Bug Bites: Woolly Worms | Hort Shorts | Hort Tips | Food Safety: A Procrastinator's Guide to a Safe Holiday Dinner | Food for Thought: Help! Refrigerator Overload! | Healthy Cooking: A Quick Start Breakfast | Health and Household Tips

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