November Yard and Garden Tips

Things to do:

Flowers

Bulbs - it's time to plant those spring-flowering bulbs you purchased in September, such as daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, and crocus. See Spring-Flowering Bulbs for more information.
Soil Test - now is the time to test the soil in your planned beds for plant nutrients. Soil tests usually take 10 days, so test now to have the results when you plant bulbs and beds. It is important to till in the lime needed (if any) for faster soil pH adjustment. You may also sample your vegetable garden now if you do not plan to add more fertilizer for late crops. See How to Collect a Soil Sample for information on sampling your areas.

Fruits

Fruit sanitation - begin inspecting your fruit trees. Be sure to remove any mummified remaining fruits, and rake up and dispose of old leaves and branches that may harbor diseases over the winter.

Lawns

Fertilizer - it's time for the third application of fertilizer for fescue and other cool-season grass lawns. Follow the recommendations on your soil test report for your lawn. DON'T fertilize warm-season grass lawns late in the fall! See Fertilizing Lawns for more information.
Trampweed - if you saw this fluffy-looking weed last summer and fall, now is the time to treat your warm-season lawn to prevent its return. This should be your first treatment if you have a warm-season lawn. Wait until February if you have a cool-season lawn (such as fescue). See Annual Trampweed for more information.
Wild garlic and wild onion - November is the time for the first herbicide application for these two problems if you have them in your yard. See Wild Garlic and Wild Onion for information on herbicides and rates of application.
Annual bluegrass - this is a soft little grass weed (also called po annua) the comes up in the yard. Treat this month to keep it under control. See Grassy Weeds for more information.
Irrigation - it's time to begin thinking about winterizing your system. See Winter Irrigation and Winterizing for more information.

Trees and Shrubs

Leaves - leaves are continuing to fall. If you have space and a little time composting is a great option; if not, you can also till them into any fallow beds you have or the vegetable garden. See Composting for more information.

Ponds

Pond Stocking - September through January are good months to stock bream in a fishing pond. See Stocking & Harvesting Recreational Fish Ponds for more information.
Pond Liming - September through January are also good times to lime the pond bottom if necessary. See Liming Recreational Ponds for information on sampling the bottom and applying lime if needed.

Vegetables

Garden clean-up - Many diseases will over-winter on old infected leaves and stems. Now is the time to finish cleaning and tilling your garden. Planting a nice cover crop, such as crimson clover or vetch, is a great idea!