Cold Weather is Here!
With the peak of the Fall foliage here, falling leaves are covering most lawns and filling up those gutters. To prevent bigger problems, regularly check your gutters and have them cleaned as needed. Frosty nights are here. Annuals will be turning brown and should be cut or removed accordingly. Root growth will slow as well. You should check all recently planted shrubs and trees as cooler days come. Ensure all bulbs are covered with a minimum of 2 inches of mulch to prevent them from freezing over. Winter fertilizer can be added if a soil test indicates it is needed. Winter fertilizer should consist of mainly nitrogen.
Cutting grass in November
Regular grass cutting isn’t unheard of in November and December. This November will be mild and above average temperatures are expected. You should gradually reduce the mowing height now. The final cut should be at a height of just 2 inches.
What keeps it’s color into November?
Very few trees and shrubs will hold their color throughout the month. Virginia Sweet spire, Fothergilla, Parrotia, and Stewartia will hold onto their color until Thanksgiving. Winterberry Holly, Crabapple, Dogwood, Viburnum and Bayberry will also still look pleasing throughout the month. Evergreens will stand out in your landscape throughout the cold months and add color when all else fails. Vinca, Ivy, Liriope, Coral-bells, and Hellebores hold their color all winter and are a nice addition to any landscape. If your shrubs are still green, do not trim them unless you are cutting large or overgrown shrubs.
Now What? What can you do in the winter
With everything slowing down, now is a good time to think of next year. Digging a new mulch bed or installing a new walkway are good winter projects. Adding mulch to thin beds can also be done and is highly recommended with new or fragile plants. Excess or crossing limbs should be trimmed on trees once the leaves fall. Check for dead branches as well.
Pests to Expect
Stink bugs, boxelder bugs, and lady bugs will still be attempting to get inside if they haven’t already. Your property can be professionally sprayed to help. Mice, Voles, and Chipmunks will often chew on the roots and the base of shrubs. Deer are still on the move. Check newly planted trees and shrubs on a regular basis.
Prepare your landscape for winter
- Clean and store anything breakable or at risk of the winter cold.
- Blow leaves out of gardens and off the lawn.
- Mulch leaves when possible.
- It is best to leave a thin layer of mulched leaves in the lawn and around trees and shrubs for insulation.
- Bring in tender plants and annuals.
- Remove dead foliage from perennials.
- Disconnect, drain, store hoses, sprinklers, and rain barrels.
- You can add lime if the lawn needs it as well.
- After a hard frost, it is okay to winterize roses. Be sure this is done properly and shears are sharp.
What Not To Do
- Do not trim any spring flowering shrubs.
- As the ground freezes, keep heavy machines and vehicles off the lawn.
- If we get snow, watch for salt damage on shrubs and grass around driveways and sidewalks.
- Herbicides becomes less effective in cold weather. They should be avoided until Spring.
