Mountain Gardener Newsletter November 2018

NOVEMBER 2018

BUNCOMBE COUNTY CENTER

JOIN US FOR THIS SPECIAL HOLIDAY WORKSHOP

GARDENING IN THE MOUNTAINS

Using Garden Greenery

for

Holiday Centerpieces

DECEMBER 5

9:30 - 12 NOON

PRESENTER:
Chris McClung, Extension Master Gardener volunteer

Decorate your holiday table with a unique centerpiece using greenery from the garden. In this workshop, Chris will show you how. You will make your own centerpiece to take home with you.

We will supply basic materials and some greenery. We encourage participants to bring additional greenery from their gardens-magnolia leaves, pine cones, spruce and holly cuttings, for example. If you have a favorite bowl or container to hold your centerpiece, bring that as well.

Class fee of $5 covers basic materials.
Workshop is limited to 12 people and registration is required.
Call first to enroll.
Confirm your registration by mailing a check made out to:

Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers (or BCEMGV)

N.C. Cooperative Extension

49 Mt. Carmel Road, Asheville, N.C. 28806.

Fees are due by December 1. No refunds after that date.

To register, please call 828-255-5522.

NOVEMBER GARDEN CHORES

Lawns

* Accumulating leaves on newly seeded grass can damage young tender seedlings. Use a leaf blower, rake gently or use the bagging attachment on the mower to pick up the leaves.

* Raise the height of the deck and mow one last time before putting the mower away for winter.

* If there are not too many leaves, a mulching mower can chop fallen leaves and will help add organic matter to the turf. Using the bagging attachment can also be an effective way for chopping and collecting leaves for the compost pile or garden beds.

* Nitrogen fertilizer can still be applied if you have not put out the fall application yet. Be conservative and BE SURE to follow rate applications to minimize run off pollution.

Ornamentals

* Remove dead annuals and plant winter annual color in places that are easy to maintain and water, small pockets in the garden or containers.

* Cut back dead foliage, stems and seed heads of ornamental grasses and perennials before spring growth. Leave seed heads for winter birds and interest.

* A few leaves will not hurt the perennial bed as long as they do not cover evergreen plants; a heavy layer of leaves can cause plants below to rot during the winter.

* We are still in a good window for planting spring and early flowering bulbs. Take time to thoroughly loosen the soil and add amendment for better bulb establishment. Plant bulbs to a depth equal to 4 times the height of the bulb.

* Take time to e valuate the garden - what worked, what didn't and what's missing. Update seasonal garden notes and make plans for the next growing season.

* Help shrubs and trees overwinter and avoid pruning until February. Removing dead wood and odd stems here and there is OK.

Fruits

* Clean up around cane and tree fruits. Rake leaves and remove fruit hanging from the trees or fallen to the ground. Good sanitation is important for good pest management.

* Do not prune fruit trees until March.

Vegetables

* Plant garlic and cover with 1-2 inches of soil, space 2-6 inches apart and mulch well, garlic does not compete well with weeds.

* Leafy greens may be ready to harvest. Pull whole plants to thin if needed. Otherwise remove lower leaves and allow the plant to continue growing. Cover with polyspun fabric to protect from cold temperatures.

* Grow herbs on a sunny window. Try chives, parsley or basil.

* If you missed the window for sowing cover crops, an inch to two of leaves,

preferably shredded or chopped with the mower, can be used to cover the garden and protect the soil during the winter. It will also allow access to plant an early spring garden.

* Make seasonal garden notes to track what you grew and where you grew it for crop rotation planning next season.

Other

* Re-install the downspout and store rain barrels or turn them upside down so they don't collect water.

* Disconnect, drain and store garden hoses.

* Wipe or brush dirt from hand tools, lightly oil to reduce rust.

* Move low-fired terra cotta and other fragile containers and sculpture under covered protection.

SOIL SAMPLE PEAK SEASON FEE

STARTS DECEMBER 1st

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

reminds growers that soil samples

must arrive to the lab by November 30

to avoid being charged the $4 per sample peak season fee.

All soil samples arriving between December 1, 2018 and March 31, 2019

will cost $4 per sample.

GATHERING HOLIDAY GREENERY FROM THE GARDEN

When gathering greenery for holiday decorations from your own garden and landscape plants it is important to remember that you are pruning the plants and

good pruning practices apply!

Use sharp pruners and make the cuts at branch angles or leaf nodes so it doesn't leave a stub.
Keep an eye on the shape of the plant and don't get carried away.
Think about which branches to cut and which ones to leave.
Remove branches evenly around the plant to maintain a natural form.

With many conifers you don't want to cut beyond the innermost needles, since many don't regrow from this point. Also to help extend the life of the greenery, soak it overnight or apply an anti-transpirant such as Wilt-Pruf to keep the foliage from drying out.

PLANTS FOR HOLIDAY GREENERY

Arborvitae

Boxwood

Cedar

Cryptomeria

Fir

Gold Mop Cypress

Holly

Ivy

Juniper

Leyland Cypress

Ligustrum

Magnolia

Mountain Laurel

Osmanthus

Pine

Rhododendron

Spruce

PREPARING ROSES FOR WINTER

Gardeners often call the office this time of year wanting to know how to prepare roses for the winter season. For much of our region light pruning is sufficient to prevent damage that can occur from strong winter winds. Once roses have stopped growing and are dormant (usually by December) the following measures can be taken:

Remove dead, damaged, or dying canes as well as those that are crossing, rubbing and growing inward.
Clean up debris and dead leaves.
Cut remaining canes back to 3-4 feet in height.
Wait until early spring to shape and prune hard, traditionally when the forsythia blooms.

For more information on growing roses in western north Carolina visit the Asheville Blue Ridge Rose Society website

HERE

BEST TIME TO PLANT SPRING BULBS

Spring flowering bulbs are best planted in the fall when the soil temperature is below 60 degree F. The cooler temperatures of the winter season promotes root development and satisfies the cold requirement needed for flowering.

Although temperatures can differ depending on the garden location, spring bulbs can be planted late October through December in our region .

If you don't have a soil thermometer to make your own reading, GO HERE to find what the soil temperature reading at one of the nearby weather stations.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

ON
SPRING BULBS

GO HERE

PUTTING THE GARDEN TO BED

It's not to late to do some of basic garden chores to help put your garden t o bed.

CLICK HERE for a series of BLOGS, written by the Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener volunteers, to help you learn what timely tasks are still possible.

FALL COLOR IN THE GARDEN

If recent winds haven't taken all the leaves....NOW is a great time to look out for fall color additions to the garden.Below is a selection of trees and shrubs that can be added to the garden to extend the color season close to home.

Common Name	Botanical Name	Color
TREES
Japanese Maple	Acer palmatum	varied by cultivar
Red Maple	Acer rubrum	red, yellow, orange
Sugar maple	Acer saccharum	yellow, orange, red
Sourwood	Oxydendrum arboreum	dark red
Black Gum	Nyssa sylvatica	scarlet to yellow
SHRUBS
Fothergilla	Fothergilla gardenia	yellow to red
Witch Hazel	Hamamelis spp.	yellow to red
Blueberry	Vaccinium corymbosum	red
Virginia Sweetspire	Itea virginica	crimson

DONT SEND LEAVES UP IN SMOKE!

Leaves are the #1 local resource for home gardeners.

C omposted, shredded and/or stockpiled, leaves provide an excellent mulch for perennial and vegetable gardens and soil amendment when composted.

START TO COMPOST NOW!

Composting leaves is THE easiest way to create mulch, soil amendment and manage the vast amount of leaves that can accumulate in the fall season and can take as much or as little work as you want.

The more effort the faster the compost will happen. With the right mixture of management, materials, moisture and air, a "hot pile" can reach temperatures of 140 degrees at its center and decompose fast. A "cold pile" takes little effort and will also produce compost but will take more time.

Get started:

CONTAINER: Because composting is a natural process, there is no need for any kind of structure. Some people simply create a pile in a corner of their yard. Although many choose to use plastic containers (tumblers) or wooden bins to retain moisture, odors, and to keep animals out.

LOCATION: Locate the compost site way from the house, not in the way of everyday activities but close enough for easy and regular access. Avoid tree roots. Light shade helps avoid the pile drying out.

MATERIALS: Organic materials that can be composted are commonly characterized as "browns" and "greens." Browns are sugar-rich carbon sources that provide energy to microorganisms, absorb excess moisture, and provide structure to the pile. Greens are protein-rich nitrogen sources that provide energy and moisture to microorganisms.

NITROGEN (GREEN)

❖ Grass clippings

❖ Houseplant leaves

❖ Vegetables, fruits

❖ Coffee grounds, filters

❖ Tea bags, leaves

❖ Handful of rabbit, cow,

sheep, chicken, horse

mature

CARBON (BROWN)

❖ Leaves

❖ Paper rolls (towel/toilet)

❖ Straw, hay, corn cobs

❖ Newspaper, non-glossy

paper

❖ Cereal boxes, paper

egg cartons

❖ Paper napkins, bags

Add air and water. Micro-organisms need air and water to work efficiently. A pile 3' x 3' x 3' with added coarse materials on the bottom can help with air circulation. Turning the compost with a pitchfork or shovel or special compost turning tool will also accelerate the process. In addition keep the compost damp but not soaking. Water periodically during a dry spell or after adding brown material.

When is the compost finished? When the individual materials can no longer be identified and the finished product resembles rich dark soil. It will smell earthy and woodsy. From start to end the process can take from 6-24 months.

Getting Amaryllis to Bloom Again

To rebloom an amaryllis gardeners often start in August to withhold water to start the necessary dormancy it needs to flower again. Others will keep the bulb outside and withhold water and fertilizer starting mid-September, bringing it indoors by October end or before a hard frost.

Amaryllis don't always loose their leaves to go completely dormant but keeping the bulb on the dry side is important. After 8-10 weeks of cool (55 degrees F) storage the tip of the new flower stalk will begin to grow. At this time repot the bulb with fresh soil, being careful to leave at least 1/3 of the bulb visible. Water thoroughly to allow the top soil surface and place the pot in a warm spot to encourage root growth. A sunny spot is best.

Flower stalks can grow long and leggy and tend to break if the light is dim. When the first flower opens, move the plant to a location with less light and cooler temps to help keep the flower fresh longer.

NEED HELP WITH GARDEN QUESTIONS?

Identifying plants, insects, diseases?

Thank you for another great season!

Although the Extension Master Gardeners have gone home to put their own gardens to bed, we are still here to answer your questions.

Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Call 828-255-5522

Also visit our office at 49 Mt. Carmel Rd, Asheville NC 28806

Please bring samples large enough for plant identification.

OFFICE HOLIDAY CLOSINGS

Veterans Day November 12

Thanksgiving November 22 - 23

Christmas December 24 -26

LEARN MORE ABOUT NC STATE EXTENSION

HERE

Contact:

Alison Arnold, Extension Agent,

Consumer Horticulture
49 Mt. Carmel Rd., Asheville, NC 28806
828-255-5522

alison.arnold@ncsu.edu

NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. Cooperative Extension.

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