The last two months of the year are perhaps the easiest in the garden. Without summer’s heat to worry about, watering becomes less of an issue and finally even the insects seem to be disappearing. As the non-stop intensity of summer chores fade away, we can now tackle some fall projects with a more relaxed attitude. Before getting swept up in holiday activities, there are a few gardening chores that we should complete.
It is time to bring houseplants inside from their summer holiday outdoors. Be sure to check under the leaves and around the top and bottom of the container for any insects that might be trying to stow away for a winter vacation in your home. If you have ‘tender’ plants (those that cannot tolerate a freeze or frost) that you want to save for next year, be prepared to move them to a protected place before our first cold snap. Many people store their tender plants in the crawl space under the house, which is a great spot for a dormant plant.
Trimming a Japanese Maple can be tricky in our colder months due to temperature fluctuations. Usually we think about trimming trees in the winter, but with Japanese Maples, unusual warm spells can make the sap start running, causing the tree to ‘bleed’ when pruned. To avoid this problem, trim your Japanese Maple in November or December, before sap becomes an issue.
Roses will continue blooming until we experience a hard frost. Once that happens, you may want to trim long or leggy canes to keep them from potentially breaking from strong winter winds. This is not the time to do hard pruning (do that in mid-February), but merely trim 4’, 5’ or 6’ canes back to 3 feet.
Once frost is on the pumpkin, what should you do about the big, brown leaves on your banana plants and elephant ears? My suggestion is to trim off just the leaves, not the leaf stems. Most tropical-like plants are barely hardy in Zone 7b-8a, so these plants need as much protection as possible to make it through the winter. The leaf stems offer the plants both protection and act as a food source. When you cut off the plant at ground level, you remove all of its’ built-in protection from water (rot) and cold (freezing). Although these plants can be unsightly during the winter, your best bet is to leave the stems and trunk intact and just look the other way for a few months.
There is still time to plant spring flowering bulbs in your garden. For the best results, purchase bulbs from nurseries and garden centers, as they are more likely to only offer bulbs which will perform well in our area. Tulips that grow in Holland Michigan will be a big disappointment here in Middle Georgia! Nothing signals the arrival of spring more than a drift of daffodils or crocus popping up through the mulch. There is still plenty of time to add some bulbs to your garden, and the reward will be evident in just a few short months.
Do You Know This Plant?
Colocasia ‘Mojito’
If you are looking to add unusual color and interest to your garden next year through foliage plants that are insect, disease and deer resistant, consider one of the new varieties of Elephant Ears. This purple-splattered variety is Colocasia ‘Mojito.’ It is not one of the monstrous-sized varieties, but will grow into a well-behaved 3-4’ clump within one growing season. It needs full sun and regular moisture. Like many Elephant Ears, the formula for success is “more sun + more fertilizer + more water = a VERY happy plant”. The variegation on each leaf is a little different and the dark purple splashes on a chartreuse green leaf are a really unusual combination in the plant world. The leaves will grow 12-18” long and about half as wide. This is a care-free plant that needs little attention except for regular watering. Consider using Colocasia ‘Mojito’ in your garden or in a container for a colorful display all season long!
Well dear garden friends, another year is coming to a close and hopefully you have picked up a few helpful tips because of our monthly visits. I have been writing Gardening Chores for four years now, and think it is time to retire the pen, at least for a little while. So with this final issue of Gardening Chores, I wish you a wonderful holiday season and the best of luck in the garden next year. Until our paths cross again, Happy Gardening and get a little dirt under those nails!
Barbie Colvin
November 2009
