Traditionally Fall has been thought as of the time to leave your garden alone. Nothing can be further from the truth. There are lots of things you should and should not be doing in November... here are A FEW......
Camellias
Fall is the time for Camellias! Camellias in south Georgia start blooming in September and will continue until early spring. It's also the best time to select varieties from Blackcreek Nursery & Garden. We are not brokers of Camellias at Blackcreek - we have developed, grown, and sold Camellias for over 30 years to customers throughout the USA. Here are some things you should and should not be doing this month with your Camellias. FALL is the time to get the best selections and the biggest plants. Waiting until spring will give you very few options.
GARDEN TASKS - Applies to Most Plants
Treat For Tea Scale & Mites For Camellias - Cooler weather is the ideal time to get those pesky insects under control, the biggest being Tea Scale & Mites. We recommend using a horticultural oil or organic neem oil to treat for scale and mites.
Mulch Mulch Mulch
Adding a three-inch layer of natural mulch will not only help you protect your plants from cold weather but as they break down they add nutrients back to the soil. Leaves, straw, or bark are recommended – never rocks or rubber mulch which won’t help with adding nutrients.
Make Sure Your Plants Are Well Hydrated
Although the water requirements are lower, plants still need to be adequately hydrated. As the time is approaching for cooler weather, our risk of freezing temperatures increases. Make sure your plants have the best protection by adequately hydrating your plants before a winter freeze. Freezing is a drying process, so giving your plants a drink of water will help them get through the cold time much better.
Save Fertilizing For Spring
Fertilizing in November is not generally recommended as it may encourage plants to put on new growth, especially if you are using a fertilizer high in nitrogen.
Transplant
If you have plants in the wrong spot, Fall & Winter is the best time to move these around a bit. The stress on plants is much less when they are dormant. November-February is the best month to transplant shrubs, trees, and hardy perennials.
Pruning In November
Pruning plants should be limited to some things and avoided completely on others. With fall pruning, you may be preventing buds set on many spring things like Hydrangeas, Azaleas, & some fruit trees.
Limited November Pruning Items - light snipping or trimming only on shrubs, trees & perennials.
AVOID November Pruning on Hydrangeas, Azaleas, Loropetalum, Gardenias & Camellias, Berry Bushes. All of these items can be pruned at various times during the year. Check back with us monthly for a checklist of what can be pruned.
PLANT.....Shrubs, Trees & Hardy Perennials
TRUE OR FALSE - You Should only plant in the Spring in South Georgia? This is FALSE. After 30+ years in the nursery industry growing plants, it still surprises us how many gardeners feel that Spring is the only time of year to plant. In the spring Garden centers are overrun with customers trying to get stuff in the ground before the summer. It's very difficult to get plants established in a 6-8 period before the summer heat and quite often, drought, sets in. They spend all summer trying to keep things watered and the plants suffer and then it is more difficult to get them to perform well. By planting in the fall, you are giving the roots time to grow all winter so that in the spring when they begin to grow, they already have a head start. Here are just some of the plants you SHOULD be planting in the fall!
- Evergreen Shrubs & Trees
- Fruit & Berry Bushes & Trees - Commercial farmers always plant these in the fall
- Hardy Perennials - Save tender perennials for the spring
- Fall/Winter Vegetables & Bedding Plants such as Collards, Kale, Cabbage, Broccoli, Snapdragons, Pansies & other fall annuals.