November

Lawn This IS the most important application of fertilizer of the year. By the way, you are applying fertilizer now to build up the natural sugars at the root zone of the grass plants so that they over-winter in good shape. The results are most evident come spring. Less snow mold, faster green up and a healthier looking lawn overall.

Leaves Some people see a pile of waste, when they look at a leaf pile. In time YOU will see the beginnings of a gorgeous garden. Good for your garden, good for you. Here is how it works: you rake the leaves onto your garden – leave them on top of the soil all winter long and forget about them. Come spring pull some the leaves back from emerging perennials to allow them to push through the soil. All other leaves stay in place. The leaves on your lawn can either be raked onto the garden (as described above) or take your power lawn mower, set it at it’s highest setting and run over the lot a couple of times.

Plant trees shrubs, evergreens and perennials You will feel odd utting perennials in the ground this time of year because there really doesn’t appear to be much to them. All root, no top. Don’t let their appearance fool you. A peony, daylily or hosta (you name it…) planted in the autumn will out-perform a spring-planted equivalent any time. Same goes for all of the hardy ‘woody’ plant material

Roses If you have winter hardy shrub roses: Rugosa, Explorer roses etc. you don’t need to do anything. That is why we call them ‘winter hardy’. However, if you have hybrid teas, grandifloras, floribundas or any of the ‘tender’ roses that need winterizing, well guess what. The time has finally come. Mound your roses up to 40 cm high with triple mix. Use a rose collar to maximize the height of the mounding soil.

If your roses stand more than a meter high, cut them back to about at meter or so just so that they don’t break off as they whip in the wind. Come spring – prune back.

markcullen.com

Mark Cullen is Canada's own garden expert. His love of horticulture was firmly rooted as he grew up in his family's business. Now the President of Mark's Choice Ltd, a horticultural communications and marketing company, Mark enthusiastically shares his knowledge and passion for gardening. He acts as spokesperson and horticultural consultant for Home Hardware Canada. Mark is also the spokesperson for GolfGreen organic-based fertilizers and lawn seed and Green Earth environmentally friendly garden products