HORT REPORT
5 November 2001
UNLESS the Gales of November have swept your property clean of leaves, you know what to do! After raking, shred, shred, shred those leaves. When you run out of leaves, grab your neighbors' leaf bags. And shred some more! We spread a layer of freshly shredded, but old leaves on the East Border last spring. Not only did this prevent field weeds from moving in during the entire summer, but resident perennials were jumping for joy, high-fiving in delight, singing our praises. It was embarrassing.
OTHER things to do: Turn off water & irrigation systems. Drain hoses except those needed to water newly planted shrubs trees until freeze. They need water to make it thru winter. Scoop leaves out of the pool. Clean & oil tools. Keep pruners & a basket handy for work on a mild day. Wrap tree trunks or cage shrubs, especially young stuff, to thwart rabbit attacks. Remember how vicious they were last winter?
CUT BACK (on fats, just kidding) perennials to the ground. A cheap, serrated steak knife is faster on some plants, such as hostas & daylilies & prevents Pruner's Wrist. Deadhead heavy seeders, but leave some up for the birds. Also let stand those plants that look good in snow, such as Sedum 'Autumn Joy,' grasses. Do not prune evergreens.
DECEMBER: Ask for and give gardening gifts. Feed & watch the birds. Don't place bird feeder in garden beds -- sunflower hulls inhibit plant growth better than any mulch I have ever seen. They also stink in the spring when you haul them away. Ugh! keep notes on garden changes you want to make for more interesting winter views. When the ground is frozen, mulch tender plants with evergreen boughs, the next best mulch after snow.
SHOW THE DOOR to uninvited guests (not relatives). Those squadrons of black spotted, orange ladybugs flying around your yard, sunning themselves on south-facing walls are not the good ladybugs that "fly away home." These are not-so-good ladybugs that live for three years, move into your house for winter, leave hideous yellow, smelly stains if you squash them. Better to capture them in a Mason Fruit Jar & toss them out into snow & ice. An entomologist from MSU called them "Asian Multicolored Lady Beetles." He suggested spraying them, but spraying insecticide inside is a truly awful idea.
PLANTS ALERT! New in 2002, some really cool plants shown at the recent Michigan Division Fall Council Meeting: Rex Begonia 'Escargot,' Coreopsis 'Sweet Dreams,' Helleborus 'Sunshine Strain,' Switch Grass 'Dallas Blues,' Switch Grass 'Shenandoah,' Phlox divaricata 'Plum Perfect,' Jacob's Ladder 'White Ghost,' Spiderwort 'Blue n' Gold.' There were my choices among 18 shown. ---Joyous Holidays! Linda Meadors, Horticulture Chair.