November's Gardening To-Do List

Tasks For All Zones:

• Rake and compost leaves (or turn them under). Clean up garden debris to prevent harmful insects or disease pathogens from spending the winter in the garden.
• Keep up on weeding.
• Add organic compost to garden beds and amend soil as needed.
• Clean, oil and sharpen garden tools and make a list of what needs to be repaired or replaced.
• Start the clock for forcing indoor bulbs for the holidays (paper whites, amaryllis, hyacinth, etc).
• Gather berry-laiden branches and interesting winter foliage to use for holiday decorating.
• Change outdoor planters, pots and window boxes to seasonal displays.
• Cover compost heaps to prevent nutrients from leeching out due to rain or snow.
• Mist houseplants as needed to protect from dry winter air.

Tasks for the "Coldest" Zones (Zones 6 and Below):

• Continue to water trees and shrubs as needed until the ground freezes.
• Provide winter protection for rose bushes.
• Add additional protective mulch as needed.
• Bleed outdoor faucets and drain and store garden hoses for the winter.
• Mow the lawn for a final time and clean and drain fluids from the lawn mower before storing for winter.
• Don't forget to mark spring bulb plantings.
• Finish winterizing outdoor water features and swimming pools.
• Pot up spring bulbs (tulips daffodils, crocus) for late winter forcing indoors.
• Fill bird feeders and transition to heated birdbaths
• Wrap trees to protect against rodent damage.

Tasks for the "Middle" Zones (Zones 7, 8 and 9):

• Keep an eye out for frost warnings. Use row covers and cold frames as necessary to extend the season.
• Continue planting bareroot trees and shrubs.
• Finish planting spring bulbs.
• Divide and transplant perennials.
• Finish harvesting vegetables and clean up garden beds.
• Continue to mow the lawn until it goes dormant.
• Watch for insect pests.

Tasks for the "Warmest" Zones (Zones 10 and 11):

• Plant tender bulbs.
• Replace spent annuals with cool season plants.
• Divide and transplant perennials.
• Plant cool season vegetables, perennial herbs and sow seeds for succession plantings.
• Sow wildflower seeds now.
• Prune flowering trees after blossoms fall.
• Watch for seasonal insect pests.