Ten Garden Projects for November

November is the first of four dormant winter months for the East Coast gardener. Some gardeners may welcome the winter break from the chore, but to myself and a lot of gardeners, winter is more like a separation from a cherished hobby. However, there are still a few mundane cleanup tasks, which, if done now, allow for more free time in spring.

November Garden Maintenance Task #1: Designate Autumn Leaves for Assignment: Autumn Leaves should be raked up now before they blow all over the neighborhood. The Leaves can then be piled in an out-of the way corner and left to compost. A pile of leaves generally takes two years to turn into rich, organic, eco-friendly compost.

November Garden Maintenance Task #2: Cut back Perennials for the winter: Most perennials can and should be cut back, with the exception of evergreen perennials and ground covers. As a rule, if the perennials are still green, cut back only the parts of the perennials that are died back. For example, Iris is cut back but the first four inches of the plants are left to over winter. Most waste from perennials makes good compost, but any waste from diseased perennials should be disposed. If Disease has been a recurring problem with a certain plant, do not compost that plant's waste. If Iris borers are a problem, do not compost iris debris as the eggs over winter on the debris.

November Garden Maintenance Task #3: Spade the Vegetable Garden: Tear up dead vegetable plants and either compost or dispose of the dead plants. Add lime if desired, and organic compost. It is OK if the compost is not yet fully rotted, as it will rot by spring. Spade the soil, mixing the compost in.

November Garden Maintenance Task #4: Mulch for winter protection: Use some of those leaves or organic compost to mulch around marginally hardy perennials and recently transplanted perennials. The mulch should be applied after Thanksgiving.

November Garden Maintenance Task #5: Plant Spring-flowering bulbs: It's not too late to complete this task if you were unable to get to it in October. A mulch helps keep the soil thawed longer, allowing more time for roots to grow.

November Garden Maintenance Task #6: Secure loose plants: Tie all loose vines to their trellises, trim back any wild branches of Roses or other vines that may otherwise sustain winter damage. Tie Arborvitae and other plants that are prone to splitting during heavy snowfall. One way to accomplish this is to put your Christmas Light display up on the plants. The Christmas Lights will keep the plants together.

November Garden Maintenance Task #7: Transplant Deciduous Plants: Once they drop their leaves, Deciduous Plants can be safely transplanted as long as the ground isn't frozen. Try to keep the root system of the plants intact and moist. Exposure of the roots to the air should still be minimized. Transplant larger plants with a ball of earth. Prune the plants back to minimize shock and stake the plants for the winter.

November Garden Maintenance Task #8: Winterize greenhouse space: Hoop Houses can be covered with plastic. Potted plants can be placed in a group and protected with a mulch of leaves or compost and/or plastic for the winter.

November Garden Maintenance Task #9: Store all Garden materials: Flowerpots, watering cans, and garden tools can be put into winter storage. Garden hoses can be drained and put into storage. Water sources can be shut off and winterized to prevent damage from freezing.

November Garden Maintenance Task #10: Clean and sharpen garden tools: If you have time, you can clean the dirt and rust from your garden tools. A light spray of oil will help prolong the life of spades, steel rakes, and similar tools. Clippers and pruning shears can be cleaned, sharpened, and oiled. The Lawnmower can be cleaned and the blades can be sharpened. Gas should be drained; pour it into the car and use new gas in spring.