November Gardening Tips and Tasks

• Leave some leaves, dead plant stalks, and branches in a portion of your garden or yard. These materials provide winter shelter for butterflies, fireflies, moths, and other "good" insects that provide pollination and pest control. To learn more on this topic, watch our free 1-hour webinar recording: To Rake or Not to Rake.
• If you need to discard pesticides, check the product label for disposal instructions. Contact your local government's solid waste or environmental department to find out if they have a hazardous waste collection program for the disposal of pesticides.

• Prune shade trees after the leaves have fallen off. Begin by removing all dead, diseased branches, and making any necessary cosmetic cuts. Do not cut branches flush with the trunk: leave the branch collar (swollen area on the trunk of a tree or a larger branch), but do not leave a stub in order to reduce the risk of wood decay.
• Topping is not the correct pruning technique to help control the size of a tree. Crown reduction, pruning entire branches at their point of origin, is recommended if a tree must be reduced in size.
• Protect plants vulnerable to winter injuries, like azalea, rhododendron, holly, cherry laurel, boxwood, mountain laurel, or those at their northern limit for winter hardiness, like newly-planted Southern magnolia, aucuba, or camellia. Hammer stakes placed about 12 to 18 inches away from the plant to support a barrier made from materials such as burlap or plastic to buffer the wind.

• If you have not planted a cover crop, keep vegetable garden beds covered with autumn leaves or mulch to minimize the risk of soil erosion, nutrient runoff, and weed germination.
• Have you tested your soil? Send a sample to a soil testing lab to get important baseline information on soil acidity (pH) and levels of nutrients, organic matter, and lead. A soil test can be done anytime as long as the ground is not frozen.
• Insulate fig trees from sub-freezing temperatures with a tarp or masses of autumn leaves or straw. Exposed wood is vulnerable to winter damage, when temperatures fall below 20°F for an extended period.
• Cut asparagus growth down to 2-inch stubs after the first frost. A 4- to 6-inch layer of mulch will help control weeds while gradually adding organic matter and nutrients to the soil.

• Fallen autumn leaves are an excellent addition to a compost bin. Do not add branches and other woody materials unless they are broken into smaller pieces.
• Learn how to set up an indoor composting or vermicomposting system if you don't have a place for composting outdoors.

• Mulch your perennials after the first hard freeze. This helps to protect them from frost heaving caused by the freezing and thawing of the soil, which can expose roots to cold and desiccation damage. Mulch helps to moderate soil temperature fluctuations.
• Dig up frost-tender summer bulbs and tuberous plants for indoor storage during the winter. Examples include canna, dahlia, gladiolus, caladium, and tuberous begonia. After digging, remove loose soil from the roots, cut the foliage back to just above the bulb (leave 4 to 6 inches of stem for canna and dahlia), and spread the plants out to cure in a dry area for one to three weeks. Store bulbs in a breathable container like paper or mesh bags, cardboard boxes, or nylon stockings. Cover or layer the bulbs with peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, or shredded newspaper. Store in a cool (40 to 50°F), dry place, and check periodically for shriveling or decay.
• Save and store seeds to plant in your garden next year or to share at seed exchanges.

Beneficial

• Polyphemus moth caterpillars will begin to create their silken cocoons as their overwintering life stage. These cocoons usually start off attached to plants, but sometimes drop into leaf litter below. To support these beneficial pollinators, consider leaving the leaves in all or certain areas of your greenspace.
• Many of our native ground-nesting bees like Colletes species spend the cold months underground. Leaf litter plays an important role to help insulate these overwintering bees during extreme temperatures. Consider leaving the leaves in all or certain areas of your greenspace, especially in areas you have seen ground-nesting bees.
• Syrphid fly adults and larvae are still active. Syrphid fly adults are seeking out nectar, and the larvae are feeding on a wide range of soft-bodied pests. Depending on the species, some syrphid larvae will start seeking shelter in leaf litter for overwintering habitat. Consider leaving some leaves as habitat, especially under flowers you have spotted syrphid larvae.
• North American wheel bugs will begin laying egg masses on tree bark and other surfaces. These beneficial predators feed on a wide range of pests. Learn to recognize these egg masses so you can leave them alone during the cold months until they hatch in spring.
• Florida predatory stink bug adults are active and feeding on a wide range of insect pests. These predators will start searching for overwintering habitat such as wood piles and sheltered crevices. Learn to distinguish this predatory stink bug species from plant-feeding stink bug species. Consider creating a wood/brush pile or leaving fallen logs to provide overwintering habitat.
• Praying mantis adults are active and laying egg cases (called ootheca), often attached to plant stems or shrub twigs. All mantid species in our area are considered beneficial predators and are generalists, eating anything they can catch; do not target and kill non-native mantid species. Support these predators by leaving their egg cases outdoors for fall and winter to hatch naturally in spring; do not bring egg cases indoors, as the warm temperatures inside your home could cause an early emergence of immature mantids that will have no food.

Pests

• Spotted lanternfly adults are laying egg masses on tree branches and trunks, and just about any outdoor surface (outdoor furniture, tires, walls, stone, etc.). If you observe any spotted lanternfly life stage, inform the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) by reporting the sighting on their website. These insects are mainly nuisance pests in residential gardens and landscapes. They have not been shown to significantly damage otherwise healthy ornamental plants. Consider sustainable management options if you want to take action. Squish or remove egg masses (once properly identified) by scraping them off into a container of soapy water or alcohol.
• Various types of caterpillars may be found feeding on the leaves of trees at this time of year. Research has shown that this late-season damage is minor to overall tree health and management of caterpillars is usually not necessary.
• Large milkweed bugs are active on their primary host plants, milkweeds (Asclepias species). No control is necessary unless you want to save the milkweed seeds. These bugs are primarily a nuisance pest, and are only present on milkweed seed pods for a short period of time before they migrate south for the winter.
• Boxelder bug nymphs and adults are active and may congregate on boxelder trees, mulch, or in sunny areas of buildings. Adults will begin seeking shelter for the winter, possibly finding their way indoors. This insect does not harm people, pets, or buildings, and does not significantly damage plants, so control is generally not needed. If found indoors, vacuum or sweep up the insects.
• Mexican bean beetle adults will begin settling into plant debris, where they will spend the winter months. Pull up and dispose of infested legume plants after harvest. Watch this short tutorial on how to harvest and bag bean plants.
• Many different cabbage-feeding caterpillars and moths are active. Check host plant leaves (mainly crucifers/brassicas) for signs of feeding damage and for the presence of caterpillars and droppings (frass). Found caterpillars can be removed and destroyed. Remove infested plant debris after harvest to remove pest overwintering sites.
• Striped and spotted cucumber beetle adults are active and chewing holes in leaves, flowers, and fruit. Adults spend the winter months in plant debris and soil. Remove infested debris after harvest. In the fall or spring, lightly till the soil to disrupt soil-living life stages.
• Many different social wasp species, like yellowjackets, will seek out sources of sugar this time of year. Keep outdoor food and beverages covered, rake-up and discard fallen tree fruit, and use tight-fitting lids on trash cans. Certain wasps may sting if they feel threatened; avoid swatting or handling any wasps.
• Blacklegged (deer) ticks are still active at this time of year. These ticks can transmit Lyme Disease. Be sure to protect yourself from tick bites when spending time outdoors, especially along forest edges. Wear light-colored long pants, long sleeves, and close-toed shoes. Tuck pants into socks, and tuck shirts into pants. Use insect repellent (age-dependent -- check the product label for safe use). Shower and check for ticks after being outdoors.

• According to the Maryland Lawn Fertilizer Law, fertilizer cannot be applied to Maryland lawns by homeowners between November 15th and March 1st.
• It is too late to sow lawn seed and expect it to survive the winter; wait until spring. Although sod has a head start on growth, the days are getting too short for the grass to have enough daylight to fuel establishment.
• Leaves are a valuable source of organic matter that improves the soil in lawns and gardens. Leaves that fall onto the lawn can be moved intact to another area of your yard, or to a compost bin. Fallen leaves make excellent mulch for garden beds. Keeping leaves whole is best for wildlife, but on a lawn, they can be shredded with a mulching mower to speed-up decomposition and add nutrients to the soil.

• Remove leaves that have fallen into uncovered ponds. Decomposing leaves will produce gasses that can sicken or kill fish when the gasses are trapped under a layer of ice. Cover the pond with mesh/netting or screening to prevent additional leaves from falling in.
• Protect garden and landscape plants from deer damage. Apply deer repellents to vulnerable plants according to product label directions, and reapply as necessary. If deer pressure is heavy, try rotating repellents so they do not get accustomed to particular ingredients. Deer netting and fencing may also be necessary as a physical barrier.

During periods of slow houseplant growth, allow most of the soil to dry out between waterings -- not to the point of getting bone-dry, but not staying consistently moist either. Soil that stays soggy contributes to root rot, which is not treatable and which can kill plants.

• Crickets, multicolored Asian lady beetles, boxelder bugs, stink bugs, cluster flies, and other innocuous insects may attempt to enter your home this fall to overwinter. Caulk, weatherstrip, and seal-up all cracks, and entry points around the building foundation, vent openings and pipe/wire entry points, windows and window screening, and doorways to prevent insects from coming indoors.
• Many different spiders like jumping spiders, yellow house spiders, wolf spiders may enter homes. They can wander indoors through or around windows, doors, and cracks. Caulk cracks around doors and windows, especially those at ground level. Most spiders are shy and harmless to humans. Normally, they will not attempt to bite unless accidentally trapped or held. They are beneficial by feeding on nuisance insects, and killing spiders should be avoided if possible.
• Drain flies are found primarily in rooms or areas where there are drains, such as kitchens and basements (near floor drains). Drain flies are small, 1/16 to ¼ inch long, delicate and fuzzy. Their fuzzy, moth-like wings make them easy to identify.
• House mice (and sometimes field mice) may be more noticeable around and in homes due to the onset of cool weather. Keep grass and weeds properly mowed around the house and seal all cracks.