November Green Tips
Landscape
- Wrap the trunks of fruit trees and very young shade trees around Thanksgiving time to protect from sun scald and animal damage.
- Continue watering program on all woody plants, especially newly installed plants, to protect roots from freezing temperatures.
- Erect burlap wind shields to protect tender broadleaf evergreens such as B oxwood, Pieris, Azalea and Rhododendron from drying and winter burn.
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Houseplants
- Examine regularly all houseplants for evidence of white flies, scale or mealy bugs. If discovered, a pply insecticidal soap / alcohol mixture at weekly intervals to control all eggs and future generations of these pests.
- Water plants on as-needed basis rather than on a set schedule. In winter months houseplants need more light and less water.
- Avoid placing Ficus trees near heater ducts or opening doors. The change in temp - eratures will cause them to drop leaves.
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Flowers
- Mound 12inches of soil, compost or aged sawdust around hybrid tea and grandiflora roses after several hard frosts and they have lost their leaves. Avoid using soil from the rose root zone.
- Prune canes back to 18 inches to facilitate the mounding protection.
- Place a protective covering of straw mulch over fall-planted pansies, dwarf Carnations, Johnny-Jump-Ups, Primrose and sweet Sweet William to aid in successful over-wintering.
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Houseplants
- Move houseplants that are dropping leaves closer to a sunnier exposure.
- Start hyacinth bulbs in hyacinth glasses.
- Provide humidity for houseplants once the indoor heating is used.
- Pot up spring-flowering bulbs to force blooms indoors.
- Bring dormant amaryllis into a warm, bright area to begin its growth cycle again. Water sparingly. As foliage or flower stalk begins to grow, Expect flowering after 4-8 weeks.
- Repot amaryllis carefully only every 3-4 years avoiding disturbing their sensitive roots, at the time it comes out of dormancy.
- Bring rosemary indoors when temperatures approach freezing. Since rosemary prefers cooler climate, take back outside when temperatures are warmer than 38of.
- Provide flowering plants with bright, reflected light all day long or full sun for 2-5 hours daily. Zebra plant, shrimp plant, begonia, geranium, violets and lipstick plant all need ample light to bloom well.
- Examine regularly all houseplants for evidence of white flies, scale or mealy bugs. Try removal of these pests by hand or by spraying them with a strong stream of water. As a last resort, apply organic pesticides at weekly intervals to control all eggs and future generations of these pests.
- Water plants on as-needed basis rather than on a set schedule. In winter months houseplants need more light and less water.
- Avoid placing Ficus trees near heater ducts or opening doors. The change in temperatures will cause them to drop leaves.
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Pest Patrol
- Patrol needled shrubs for signs of scale. Control with an organic spray.
- Leave outside as long as possible before hard frost lantana and other plants susceptible to white fly and let the temperature help control the pest.
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