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November 20, 2002

Lots Of Leaves...
What a glorious gardening day!  Noah, my 6 year old son, and I worked outside this morning for 2 hours gathering the leaves that keep falling from our trees as well as the neighbors.  From the beginning of November to the end of December Westwood is blanketed with leaves.  Kevin spent the better part of last weekend blowing leaves off the lawn and within 24 hours it was again completely covered - leaves are a full time job this time of year.  As the gardens are not quite ready to be covered we are utilizing trash cans and the far corners of the gardens for storage of our mulched leaves.  It is important to wait before placing the leaves on the gardens.  With these warms spells that we have been having it does not make sense to cover the gardens just yet.  Wait for the ground to freeze and then place the mulched leaves and any other mulching material you have on top.  It makes for a nice, insulated winter blanket for everything beneath.  This process will help to keep the plants from heaving when there are days of warmer temperatures this winter.

Kevin and I are excited about Steve Hess's Holiday Open House this weekend.  We will be attending Thursday night so if you choose to come at that time we look forward to seeing you there.  If you choose another time please make sure you let Steve and the other artists know that you are an avid Savvygardener.com reader.  I can hardly wait to see all of the cool stuff.  The holiday spirit is catching up with me!

~ Shelly  

Well Watered For Winter...
For maximum winter protection, Savvygardeners need to water landscape evergreens thoroughly once every week or so until the ground freezes.  Evergreens continue to lose moisture from their foliage all winter, but once the ground is frozen, they'll be unable to take up enough water to replace it.  Sending them into winter well watered reduces the potential for damaged foliage.  There's more... broadleaved and tender evergreens exposed to drying winds and sun may need to be shaded on the south and southwest sides to reduce moisture loss and foliage injury.

Source

All Coiled Up And No Place To Go...
If you are putting your hoses away for the season take care of how you store them.  Be very careful not to kink the hose.  Any kink becomes a weak point and hoses often crack in these locations.  Do not hang your hoses on nails as this promotes kinking and weak spot formation.  Instead store them on reels, hose supports or simply coil them loosely on the floor.  Before storing make sure all the water has been drained out.  Find a dry place for it and your hose will be ready to go when spring returns.

Houseplant Hints...
The growth of your houseplants will slow as the days get shorter and light intensity is reduced.  This means that they will need less frequent watering and fertilizing through the winter.  Too much of either in the coming months can cause weak growth leading to undue stress next spring.

 

 

Don't Miss The Hess's Open House!

Exceptional Handmade Garden Gifts
for the Ones You Love!

Garden Stones, Bird Baths, Planters,
Wood Carving, and Much More!

All Handcrafted by 18 Area Artists

Click Here For Details!

 

 

Bunny Love...
During the winter months, rabbits often gnaw on the bark of many woody plants.  Heavy browsing can result in the complete girdling of small trees and small branches clipped off at snow level.  Apple, pear, crabapple and serviceberry are frequent targets of rabbits.  Small trees with smooth, thin bark are the most vulnerable.  Other frequently damaged plants include the winged euonymus or burning bush, Japanese barberry, dogwood, roses and raspberries.

The best way to prevent rabbit damage to young trees is to place a cylinder of hardware cloth (1/4 inch mesh wire fencing) around the tree trunk. The hardware cloth cylinder should stand about 1 to 2 inches from the tree trunk and 20 inches above the ground. The bottom 2 to 3 inches should be buried beneath the soil. Small shrubs, roses and raspberries can be protected with chicken wire fencing.

Protect Those Pots...
Cold nights have Savvygardeners worrying about protecting their gardening valuables (plant and non-plant alike).  Often overlooked items include your outdoor plant pots.  Any pots that contain moist soil are subject to cracking and breaking as we cycle through freezing and thawing weather.  Just empty all the soil from your pots and store them in a sheltered area for the winter.

 


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Winter Wisdom...
The bright fall foliage of our trees and shrubs pleasantly surprised many of us during the past two or three weeks.  After a hot, dry summer, the color was more than most expected.  A number of trees and shrubs will put on a nice display in wintertime too.  Find out in this week's
Winter Wisdom...

Power Equipment Protection...
Power equipment, such as lawn mowers, tillers and chippers require additional winter preparations.  As you finish with any of these machines for the season give them some TLC before putting them away.  

  • Wipe collected grease, dirt and plant material from all equipment. 
  • Tighten loose screws and nuts. 
  • Sharpen cutting edges and wipe them with an oily rag.
  • If your equipment has a four-cycle engine, change the oil by following instructions listed in your owner's manual. 
  • Clean the oil and air filter line by starting the engine and letting it run until it stops. 
  • Two-cycle engines, or engines that run with a gas and oil mixture, also should have the oil-gas mixture removed for the winter. Run the engine with the choke open to remove fuel from the lines. 
  • Check the spark plug and replace it if it is worn.
  • Replace other worn or damaged parts as well. 

Also, avoid storing gasoline over the winter.  Old gasoline does not ignite easily, making the machines using it work harder.

Finally...
"The hazy, cloudless skies of Indian Summer.  Leaves scurrying down the street before the wind.  The cold shiver from an arctic blast. Indian Summer.  The last warmth of the sun.  Chilly mornings and glorious warm afternoons.  The Harvest Moon.  The Hunter's Moon.  The Rainy Season.  Dry corn stalks clattering in the wind.  The touch of frost on grass and window pane.  The smell of burning leaves."

~ Keith C. Heidorn, Meteorologist

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