Know-vember

November is another one of those “number” months. Novem means nine in Latin and was the ninth month in the old Latin calendar. It’s also one of those “ber” months. Pretty soon they will all be Brrrr… months! For me November conjures up thoughts of dreariness. Thomas Hood’s poem “No!” sums it up:

No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member-
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds.
November!

Even though I like his poem, perhaps we should revoke Mr. Hood’s poetic license. There are lots of No’s in November but we know there are some Yes’ too. November also makes me anticipate the warmth and smell of a wood fire crackling in the fireplace, Thanksgiving dinner and the smell of sage, the crunch of dried leaves under foot and any number of pleasant things. November brings the Hunter’s Moon.

In spite of his poem, you may also spy a lonely Monarch butterfly winging its way south on a chill November wind. It is hard to believe that it was “born” recently and is on its way to one of two very small areas in the Sierra Mountains in Mexico or Southern California, without ever having been there before. In fact the last to be there were its” grandparents or even its great-grandparents.” There it will join others of its kind, recently arrived from their migration, where they will remain until spring. How do they do that?

November is also time to put your gardens to bed if you haven’t already. Deal with any leaves still remaining that haven’t blown onto your neighbor’s property or your neighbor’s that have blown onto yours. As I mentioned last month you can dig them into your garden. This is called “sheet composting” and it doesn’t mean you pull up your sheets and compost until spring, tempting as that may be. Of course you can also let them stay where the plants have captured them, gathering them up around themselves as if pulling up the covers in anticipation of a cold winter’s night. Cold winter night’s are on their way, make no mistake about it. If we haven’t experienced a killing frost by the time you read this it can’t be far off. It’s one of the things we know about November.

Things to do in the garden:
It’s not too late to plant spring flowering bulbs. Some say November is the best time to plant lily bulbs. Because some say spring bulbs look best in a cluster try excavating an area rather than planting them in a single small hole, one bulb per hole. Some also say that planting bulbs in a triangular pattern with the point of the triangle facing the viewer makes your planting appear larger, making for a greater impact. Some also say (who is this “some?”) bulbs provide more visual punch if planted in groups of fifty or more of the same color. If this doesn’t fit your wallet try adding some of the same variety each year until you reach that magic number. Take pictures so you will know where to dig next fall.

Do you use live Christmas trees? If yes, or if you are considering it, now is the time to dig the hole for it. Dig it wide and fill the hole with straw or those leaves to keep the ground from freezing too far down. Store the dirt in the garage for the same reason. Then, shortly after New Years, plant and water the tree well. Stake it against the wind if necessary. If not in a sheltered place, a burlap shield on the windy side should also help it through the rest of the winter.

Tender roses should be “hilled up,” mound the soil a foot deep around the base to protect the crowns. Final pruning should be done in the spring but soft growth can be trimmed off now. Climbing roses or ramblers should be checked and tied to prevent injury from being whipped around by those harsh winter winds.

If you haven’t lifted those tender dahlias, caladiums and cannas it’s probably not too late. By the same token, if you haven’t done a fall fertilization of your lawn, do it now. Final cutting of the lawn can be done slightly lower than the usual recommended three inches, say two and a half.

After a cold November rain check your perennial beds for standing water. Cut a channel to drain it away. Wet feet can be as bad for your plants as cold, just like us. While you’re at it check gutters and drains above evergreens and perennial plantings to prevent ice formation.

Make sure leaves and mulch are not heaped against the trunks of young and fruit trees. This invites mice to nest there and use your trees’ bark as a larder for the lean winter months. Bring the mulch a foot away from the trunk. You may also want to stake them from the winds of winter and early spring storms. Generally new trees less than 2” diameter don’t need staking. Don’t forget to consult ohioline.osu.edu for staking and other gardening information.

Stop fertilizing your houseplants. Inspect them for insects and disease. Treat accordingly. If your sensitive plants are too close to drafty windows move them away but make sure they get the light they need and supplement with fluorescent if needed. Let your indoor plants go dormant and get their rest. As for us, we can go a little dormant and get some rest too. As the sun retreats and the days grow shorter, thoughts of the garden retreat, at least for a while.