MEMBERS SECTION
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NOVEMBER & DECEMBER IN THE GARDEN
by Jane & Wilson Grahame

• Get the leaves off the lawn and into the compost. Your slug population and disease will be less next spring.
• There is still time to plant bulbs. This is an excellent time to plant trees & shrubs, particularly winter blooming shrubs, i.e. witch hazel, Pink Dawn Viburnum, Sarcococca (Sweet Box) and early blooming Camellias.
• Spray roses and fruit trees with lime sulphur as soon as the leaves have fallen.
• Clean up carefully under the plants.
• Check stakes on trees & roses to protect them from winter storm or snow load damage.
• Mulch marginally hardy plants such as cistus (Rock Rose) and caryopteris (Blue Beard). Keep mulch away from base of woody stem to prevent disease at stem.
• Dig over beds of clay soil when moist - frost will break up the clay.
• Don't dig over good soil - winter rains will compact it and wash away nutrients.
• Spread Dolomite lime around lime lovers such as lilacs.
• Empty frost tender clay pots, wash and store.
• Drain your irrigation system or have it blown out.
• Drain and store hoses.
• Service lawn equipment.
• Inspect and repair hand tools.
• Mix motor oil with sand in a bucket to clean and oil shovels.
• Organize feeding stations for the birds.
• Give house plants a rest. Cut back on fertilizer and do not over water.
• Clean the gutters.

Water Garden:

• Remove all surface plants, e.g. water lettuce, water hyacinths. Otherwise they decompose and you may have algae problems next spring.
• Use a net to keep leaves out of the pond.
• Don't be tempted to drain the pond. Always leave 30% of the water in.
• If a lot of bottom debris has collected scoop it out and put it in the compost.
• Don't leave the pump running over the winter. It lowers the temperature at the bottom of the pond. This may damage the fish and the water lilies.
• If the pond freezes never smash the ice. The vibration will kill the fish. Put a pot of boiling water on the ice to melt it.