Lawn Care
• Maintain cool season grasses by mowing as needed.
• Keep tree leaves from collecting on your lawn.
• Control fire ants with either a bait or contact.
Fertilizing
• Spread ashes from the fireplace around gardens and bulb bed where soil pH is below 6.0. Avoid acid-loving plants.
Planting
• Plant one-year-old asparagus crowns in the vegetable garden this month.
• If you don’t use your garden through the fall and winter months, consider planting a cover crop like annual rye, barley, or wheat.
• Now is a good time to set out or transplant landscape plants. Be sure to “open up” the root balls on container plants.
Pruning
• The foliage from existing asparagus can be cut down the ground after the first killing frost.
• Cut back herbaceous perennials after the frost kills the tops.
• Any dead or diseased wood can be pruned out anytime of the year.
• Weeds or unnecessary trees should be removed from the landscape.
• Root prune any plants you plan to move next spring.
Spraying
• None
Other Activities
• Take soil samples from your vegetable garden if you haven’t already done so.
• If you have received your soil recommendations, apply lime as suggested. Don’t apply fertilizer till spring.
• Order fruit trees and grape vines now if you wish to plant them in February and March.
• Prepare bird feeders.
• Don’t forget to water evergreens trees and shrubs thoroughly before winter.
• Continue putting the leaves from your yard into a compost bin.
• Poinsettias should be placed in the sunniest room in the house.