A GOOD READ

Image not availablPlease wai

Here is a list of books recommended by Kent and Sussex Master Gardeners. Great for winter reading and garden planning

Mike McGrath’s Book of Compost (Sterling Publishers, 2006).

Easy Garden Projects to Make, Build and Grow: 200 Do-It-Yourself Ideas to Help You Grow Your Best Garden Ever, edited by Barbara Pleasant and the Editors of Yankee Magazine (Rodale Books, 2006).

Hothouse Flower and the Nine Plants of Desire by Margot Berwin (Pantheon Books, 2009).

Weeds of the Northern U.S. and Canada: A Guide for Identification by France Royer and Richard Dickinson (University of Alberta Press, 1999).

The New Oxford Book of Food Plants, 2^nd Edition (Oxford University Press, 2009).

Wildflowers: A Guide to Growing and Propagating Native Flowers of North America by William Cullina (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2000).

“English Garden Mysteries” series by Anthony Eglin includes The Blue Rose, The Water Lily Cross and The Trail of the Wild Rose (Minotaur Books).

Gardening for a Lifetime: How to Garden Wiser as You Grow Older by Sydney Eddison (Timber Press, 2010).

The Nonstop Garden: A Step-by-Step Guide to Smart Plant Choices and Four-Season Designs by Stephanie Cohen and Jennifer Benner (Timber Press, 2010).

DECEMBER GARDENING CALENDER

First week in December:

ü Spray seed heads and dried flowers with hair spray to keep them intact.

ü The holidays are just about three weeks away, and there is still time to make herbal presents such as herbal vinegars and potpourri.

Second Week:

ü Order your 2011 seed catalogs.

ü Check stored dahlia tubers and gladiolus corms; if sprouting, move to a cooler location. If they appear to be shriveling, rewrap them using a ventilated plastic bag. If there are signs of molding, change their environment; this is usually a result of moisture.

ü Scout your landscape for the small, buff or yellowish velvet gypsy moth egg cases attached to trees, stones, walls, logs and other outdoor objects, including outdoor household articles. Pick off and destroy them.

Third Week:

ü Prune fruit trees anytime this winter. Keep in mind, it is easier on the tree if the temperature is 45 deg. and above.

Final Week:

ü Fertilize peach and apple trees anytime after the leaves drop and before spring growth.

HOW TO OVERWINTER POTTED PERENNIALS

At one time annuals were the majority, if not the only type, of plant material being used in containers. Now everything from perennials to small trees and shrubs are commonly being used. And while these perennials can be treated like annuals and replaced the next season, many gardeners can't bear the thought of having something die that has the potential of coming back. Because of this, gardeners now have to consider the best way to overwinter these pots so they can have these plants survive the winter and come back next spring.

Perennials in pots need protection because their root system is basically above ground in a container, This poses problems because the root system is now subject to extreme cold injury.

If these same perennials were planted in the ground, the roots would have the benefit of the soil to help insulate and protect the roots from potential cold injury that can kill roots leading to a good number of the plants not coming back in the spring. Above ground, that protective root insulation disappears, making the roots vulnerable to extreme winter temperatures.

What can a gardener do to protect that investment in perennial plant material?

There are several ways to provide needed protection.

With any container that you are considering to use, make sure the plant material in the container is dormant, Wait for temperatures to drop to the twenties for several nights and make sure the soil in the container is moist. Plants in moist soil tend to overwinter better that those where the soil is dry. Now you can bed them down for the winter.

• If the pots are small, and if you have garden space, dig a hole in the garden large enough to accommodate the pot up to the rim. Place the pot in the hole and backfill the hole with soil.

Cover the pot with a thick layer of mulch such as straw or hardwood leaves.

• If you don't want to dig holes, gather up your pots and group them together on an inside corner of a building, preferably on the east or north side. Once grouped, mulch them with straw or hardwood leaves.

• The last way to help protect your containers is to move them into an unheated building such as a garage or shed where temperatures are slightly above freezing all winter.

This inside storage will protect them. When using inside storage make sure to check on the pots occasionally as they may dry out. If so, apply just a little bit of water to moisten the soil slightly.

Whichever method you choose, leave the plants protected until spring weather conditions moderate and they can be safely moved back into the garden.

University of Illinois Extension Service

NOVEMBER GARDENING CALENDER

First week in November:
Finish planting spring flowering bulbs.
Cut back and mulch perennials. This mulch will insulate them from the winter cold, and cutting them back will give them a tidy appearance.
 Dig up dahlias, caladiums, gladiolus, etc. Wash away soil, dry, label and place in a bag or box; cover with sphagnum, moss, sawdust or perlite. Store in a cool, dry place.

Second Week:
 Drain and take in garden hoses and sprinklers to avoid freezing damage.
 Transplant trees and shrubs after leaves have dropped.
 Prevent mice and rabbits from damaging young trees by wrapping the base of the trunk 18 in. high with screening.
 Cut back roses 18-20 in. and mulch heavily to give them protection and help them survive the winter.

Third Week:
 Fertilize shade trees and peach trees.
 After frost has killed the leaf stalks on perennial vegetables, such as asparagus and rhubarb, cut leaf materials down to ground level.
 Mulch evergreens.
 To prevent winter windburn, thoroughly water all trees and shrubs weekly until the ground freezes.



Final Week:
 After chrysanthemums have stopped blooming, cut the stems back to ground level and add these stems, dried leaves and branches to the compost pile.
 After leaves have fallen, go into the woods and collect grapevines for making wreaths. While in the woods, collect nuts, old bird nests and pine cones to be used for decorating.
 Check guy wires around newly planted trees to make sure they will not be damaged by windy weather throughout the fall and winter.

LEAF GALLS ON WILLOW OAK

Galls can be unsightly, but rarely harm the plant. There are different types of galls caused by fungus, bacteria or insects. If you don't like the look of the galls, and the plants are small enough, cut out the infected section. If heavily infested, contact the Cooperative Extension office to determine type of gall and how to treat.