Blow
or rake fallen leaves from lawn areas. The leaves left on the lawn block the
sunlight to your grass and will create bare spots. Don’t forget to compost the
leaves. Spray each layer with water. Need a composter? There are several composters
on the market today, but deciding which one to buy may be confusing to some. Composters
are designed for gardeners and home owners with several designs to choose from.
Some are designed to be mobile and when the compost is ready the gardener can
take the composter to the area where it is going to be used. Other composters
are deigned to be stationary. When deciding on a composter think about what you
want the composter to do for you. For my information on composting Click Here.
Plant spring-flowering bulbs now and add bone meal to the planting
hole. Depending on how south you garden in some spring bulbs can be planted in
December. The key to planting spring flowering bulbs is the ground needs to be
cool enough so the bulbs remain dormant until spring arrives. For more
information on fall bulbs Click Here.
You can save your Elephant Ears, Dahlias, and Caladiums by
digging them up now. Let the tubers dry out before storing for the winter.
Store tubers in boxes layered with peat moss or vermiculite, then layer tubers
on top of your choice of medium. Store boxes in a cool, dry place.
Spring and summer perennials can be pruned back and mulched. After
the flowers have faded on Chrysanthemums and Asters prune to 4 inches and mulch.
Clean up Hellebores. Trim dead and yellowing leaves. Hellebores grow from the
center and by removing the dead and yellowing leaves increases more pups.
To encourage winter songbirds in your garden, get a
birdfeeder. It is recommended to use the black oil sunflower seed for most
birds. Black oil sunflower seeds make a nutrient-dense snack for birds. The
seeds have a higher oil content which translates to more nutrition. The shell
is thinner, which makes it easier to break open for the birds. Fill bird
feeders with black oil sunflower seeds.
Plant
New Shrubs and Trees: Have you been thinking about replacing a few shrubs that
just did not quite get established in the landscape, or planting a new shade or
flowering tree that you just cannot live without in your landscape? Now, is the
time to start thinking about making that purchase? The fall season is an
excellent time to add new shrubs and trees to your landscape. This time of year,
will let your newly planted shrubs and trees get a head start by developing and
establishing new root growth in the soil.
You still have time to plant your winter color such as: Chrysanthemums, Pansy, Viola, Snapdragons,
Stock, Cyclamen, Dianthus, Sweet Alyssum, Flowering Cabbage and Kale provide
winter color through the spring and should be still available at garden
centers. For spring blooms plant Bluebonnet and Poppy seeds this fall. For more
information on fall and winter annuals Click Here.
Holiday Plants that you kept last
year need to be placed in a dark room during the evening hours for the plants
to bloom this holiday season. I remember this gardening ritual when it is time
to turn back our clocks; it is time to give holiday plants total darkness until
you see buds or bracts forming. Christmas Cactus and Poinsettias are night dependent
plants for them to bloom; these plants need several hours of darkness to bloom.
The cooler weather also helps in the blooming process. If you purchased new
holiday plants, try to place them in the coolest area of your home.
Have
you ever tried forcing Paperwhites for the holidays and the stems and blooms
became leggy? Here is a link to an article about what to do to prevent the
legginess from occurring. Click Here To Read More: http://www.hortmag.com/weekly-tips/cultivation/growing-paperwhites?et_mid=525016&rid=2111517
House Plants that were brought
indoors need a ¼ turn to prevent leaning towards the light. To prevent this, turn
your house plants once a week. House plants do not need as much water during
the winter months, water when the top one inch of the soil is dry. Another way
to decide whether to water is if you had several days of cloudy weather check
your plants on the normal day you usually check, if the soil feels wet wait a
week. Houseplants do not need as much water during cloudy, winter months.
The
Blogger, Cheryl Ann Meola, has several Links to share with you featuring her
fine art plant photography and merchandise. Click on the links below.
For
Gardening Books: Butterfly Gardening Click Here. House Plants Click Here.
Landscape
Gardening Click Here.
Fine
Art America Portfolio for Prints and Household Merchandise. Click Here.
For
Cheryl Ann Meola’s Shutterstock Stock Photography.
For
Cheryl Ann Meola’s Adobe Stock Photography.
Cheryl
Ann Meola © 2023.
All photographs and
digital images are ©Cheryl Ann Meola. All Rights Reserved. All photographs and
digital images displayed in this newsletter are for viewing purposes only and
cannot be duplicated or copied.
Certified Texas Nursery Professional #1282
