Monthly Checklist: November

Lawn Care

With seeding done for the year, all that’s left is feeding that lawn and prepping it for winter. If you haven’t seeded your lawn yet, get it down as soon as possible, but keep in mind that hard frosts can kill delicate new grass.

• Jonathan Green Veri-Green can be applied to established lawns for fall feeding or to lawns that were seeded at least 30 days ago for their second fertilization.
• Give your lawn a boost during winter with Jonathan Green Winter Survival. Use at least 30 days after your last application of fertilizer.
• Kill late-season weeds with Weed Beater Ultra. It can be used on new lawns and over-seeded lawns once you have mowed them 3-4 times.

Insect & Disease Control

Luckily, most insects aren’t active this time of the year and fungal diseases prefer warmer temperatures. It’s still good practice to regularly check your plants, especially with our temperatures being unpredictable this time of year. Also keep an eye on the temperatures, most chemicals don’t work in temperatures below 50°.

• Kill overwintering insects and eggs on most plants with All-Season Oil.
• Apply Houseplant Insect Control to any outdoor plants you plan to bring inside to prevent any hitchhikers from infiltrating your home.

Fertilizers

Most plants are either going dormant or already have at this time of the year and won’t need fertilization again until spring. Cool-season plants, like Pansies, Ornamental Cabbage, and Snapdragons, are exceptions that are more than happy to be fertilized when you plant them.

• Use Dynamite Slow Release Fertilizer once when you plant, then sit back and relax while it feeds for up to 9 months!
• Feed your Pansies and Snapdragons with Flower Tone. 

Pond Care

With cooler temperatures, you’ll find that there’s less you need to do for your pond.

• Switch to feeding your fish Spring & Fall Fish Food once pond temperatures drop below 60° and stop feeding entirely once pond temperatures reach 50°.
• Netting to keep leaves from falling into your pond. While not entirely necessary, it will save you lots of cleaning come springtime.

Animal Repellents

As food sources become more limited during the cooler months, hungry critters may turn to your garden and landscape for a snack. These animal repellants will help discourage them.

• Liquid Fence can be sprayed directly onto your plants or around entire garden beds to protect against hungry deer and rabbits.
• Create a powerful barrier around your plants to protect them from deer with Deer Scram.
• Repels All is an excellent all-purpose repellant if your critter problems go beyond the standard deer and rabbits.
• Hot Pepper Wax is a spicy, natural alternative to repels all and is safe to use on veggies and herbs (but make sure you rinse off your edibles before you eat them, or you’re in for a spicy surprise!)
• Drive away moles, voles, and other ground-dwelling rodents naturally with Mole Max.

Miscellaneous

• Add organic matter and amend clay or sandy soils with Lobster Compost.
• Mulch your garden beds and around trees and shrubs. Not only does mulch make your garden look tidier, but it aids in moisture retention and insulates the root systems of your plantings, keeping them toasty all winter.
• Protect more tender plants from extreme temperatures with Frost Cloths.
• Use Prolong to keep cut Christmas trees fresher for longer
• Spray your fresh greens and wreaths with Wilt Pruf to help prevent them from drying out.
• Use Fertilome Root Stimulant to encourage new root development and to prevent transplant shock in new plantings.
• Protect new plants from hungry voles with Vole Bags, mesh bags that protect root systems from getting munched on.
• Keep your bird feeders and suet cages full, as winter approaches food sources will be harder to find for birds and they’ll thank you for keeping them fed!

Click here for December’s checklist.