November 2020
Pickaway to Garden
Bringing in the
Sheaves
By Paul J. Hang
The hymn of the same name symbolically means harvesting or bringing
in the souls who were sown earlier. Literally it is bringing in bundles of
stalks of cereal grains. Anyone who has been to Amish country in the early
summer has seen the sheaves of grain stacked in the fields. In the fall you
will see their shocks of corn, shock being a derivative of sheave.
November is the time of reaping for gardeners. Not just the
last of the harvest but of stuff. Better bring in all those fragile pots,
garden ornaments, stakes, cages and other gardening paraphernalia. Patio
furniture, umbrellas and outdoor carpets all should be brought in. Is there
anything sadder than seeing a Fisher Price menagerie of kids’ toys covered in
the snow? Tools, houseplants, dried flowers, leaves for pressing, herbs for
drying or steeping in vinegar, all these
better be brought in whether you are rejoicing or not.
A popular home show commercial tells us, “Some people know
the difference between doing something and doing it right.” I always like to
add, “And, not doing it at all.” (Yes, we talk to the TV in our house. Or, I
should say, I do.) So what happens if we leave the sheaves, so to speak, lying
out in the field? Sometimes nothing happens. That trowel will still be there
sticking in the ground next spring.
But some things (sheaves) will die or disappear if you don’t
bring them in. Some tender bulbs such as Calla Lilies and plants like Rosemary,
Coleus and Geraniums will surely die if left out to freeze. They can be saved
by taking cuttings from them, bringing them in, rooting them and then potting
them up to keep growing until time to set them out next spring. These plants
can be expensive and the scarce cultivars are sometimes sold out. “By and by
the harvest, and the labor ended.” Rejoice!
Any number of You Tube videos describes the process of
taking the cuttings, using a rooting hormone, rooting them and potting them up.
Search for sites that end in edu from Extension and Ag schools or universities.
That way you know you are getting science based information and not someone who
is trying it for the first time and likes to hear themselves talk.
Things to do in the Garden:
Now is a good time to do soil tests. You have time (3 to 6
months) to amend your soil if required. You will avoid the spring rush when
more people are sending their samples to the lab. To obtain soil sampling
instructions and kits along with specific recommendations contact the local
Cooperative Extension Office 740-474-7534.The Helpline is also available at the
same number.
It’s not too late to plant spring flowering bulbs. Spring
bulbs look best in a cluster. Try excavating an area rather than planting them
one by one in single holes. Lift tender bulbs (caladiums, dahlias, glads etc.)
and store for the winter. Sow seeds of hardy annuals (calendula, bachelor’s
buttons). Mums can be “tidied up” but don’t trim back until spring.
Tender roses should be “hilled up,” mound the soil a foot
deep around the base to protect the crowns. Also a wire cage filled with leaves
surrounding them as protection can be added. Final pruning should be done in
the spring, but long spindly canes can be trimmed off now. Climbing roses or
ramblers should be tied to prevent injury from being whipped around by harsh
winter winds. Do not feed. Clean up all dead and diseased rose leaves and put
in the trash.
A fall fertilization of your lawn can be done now. Do not
allow leaves to form a matted layer on the lawn. Rake and compost heavy layers
of leaves. Running the mower over the rows of leaves at right angles a couple
times will reduce them to half inch pieces which earth worms will pull into the
soil. The latest recommendation is to continue to cut your lawn at 2.5-3 inches
as long as it continues to grow. Run the gas out of your lawn and garden
machinery or add gas stabilizer.
November is a good month to plant trees. For two short
informative videos, go to; http://bit.ly/PlantATreeCbus. When your trees go
dormant you can view; http://bit.ly/PruneATreeCbus and see how to prune them
properly.
Make sure leaves and mulch are not heaped against the trunks
of trees. Bring the mulch a foot away from the trunks of all trees. You may
also want to stake newly planted trees from the winds of winter and early
spring storms. Generally new trees more than 2” diameter don’t need staking. Consult
ohioline.osu.edu for staking and other gardening information. Evergreens and
shrubs should be watered deeply. Apply an anti-desiccant to broadleaf
evergreens. Wait until dormant to do any normal pruning. Do not prune spring
flowering shrubs (lilac, forsythia, spirea etc.) if you want them to bloom this
spring.
Take stock by taking notes and map your garden while you can
still remember where the plants were. This is particularly important for the
vegetable garden. Clean your gardening tools and put them away. A coat of oil
can prevent rust. A light coating of linseed oil on wooden handles prevents
splitting due to weathering and drying. Drain garden hoses and store. At the
very least disconnect from the outdoor spigots. Make sure underground
irrigation lines are drained or blown dry with a compressor.
Remove the dead plants from containers and, if not diseased,
compost. Unglazed terracotta pots must be stored indoors or they will be
destroyed. The same goes for fragile garden ornaments. Synthetic containers can
be left outdoors. Stop or reduce fertilizing indoor plants. Weed the vegetable
garden and compost non-diseased debris. Place diseased materials in the trash. Remove
stakes and cages, clean and store. Plant a cover crop.
Consider leaving the stems and seed heads of perennials.
Nature is not compelled to neatness. She leaves cover for pollinators and
butterflies to overwinter themselves or their pupae and eggs. You can clean up
in the spring. Cut off dead annuals and, if not diseased, compost them. Now
your beds are tucked in and settled down for a long winter’s nap.
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