HORT shorts
- Time to plant fruit trees, blueberries, blackberries and bunch grapes.
- Plow the vegetable plot and let it lie fallow over winter. After plowing, leave the surface rough for the most exposure. Winter freezes kill insects and larvae, leaving good soil to use for early spring planting.
- Pansies are the most popular cool-season garden flower. Their versatility, ease of culture, range of color in blooms, and abundant flowering make pansies an excellent choice for winter color on berms. End of October through November are ideal for massing pansies.
- Allow well-fertilized, potted amaryllis bulbs to go dormant by withholding water. Keep above freezing.
- Apply only a light mulch to peonies planted in fall. A light mulch prevents ground from heaving, but too much mulch will insulate plants from the chilling cold needed for strong plant development.
- Now’s the time to harvest dried hydrangea blooms for winter decorations.
- Plant cold-loving bulbs such as tulips, crocuses, and hyacinths in the garden for spring blooms.
- Wood ashes from the fireplace add lime to soils of low-lime concentration. Sprinkle a light application on garden beds.
- Order plant and seed catalogs for use in planning next year’s gardens.