Gardening Guides
Northeast Gardener's November Checklist
Let titian foliage and berries, silky milkweed, late-blooming asters and more lure you out into the autumn garden
Fall is winding down, but that doesn't mean it's stopping. Garden maintenance is ongoing, and with cooler temperatures and plants entering dormancy, it's still possible to dig and transplant, and to add bulbs before the ground freezes.
Another great fall shrub that requires very little care is winterberry (Ilex verticillata), a type of deciduous holly. Shown here is the cultivar 'Winter Gold', which has orange berries.
There are also many red fruiting cultivars. Plant winterberries en masse along walkways for low maintenance and enjoy the bright hues once all the foliage drops.
It's easy to fall in love with dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii), especially 'Mt. Airy', which puts on a spectacular show this month in the U.S. Northeast.
Don't tidy up too much. In our rush to cut everything back, we can lose sight of the important role plants play in the ecosystem. I leave sedum 'Autumn Joy' and ornamental grasses up all winter for wildlife.
I also keep grasses up and make note of which varieties may need dividing next spring (an onerous job).
Other plants to keep up in the wildlife border include:
Other plants to keep up in the wildlife border include:
- Joe Pye Weed
- Coneflowers
- Black-eyed Susans
- False indigo
I saw only one monarch butterfly this summer — I hope some of you saw more. Many gardeners I've talked with didn't see many, either, and the low count is troubling.
Wild milkweed pods offer up their silky parachutes now. If you've got a natural area, think about adding more varieties for butterflies next year.
Wild milkweed pods offer up their silky parachutes now. If you've got a natural area, think about adding more varieties for butterflies next year.
Asters remain the stalwarts of the season, blooming late in the year.
More reasons not to clean up the fall garden
More reasons not to clean up the fall garden
Say goodbye to annuals. Once the temperature dips below freezing, the annuals are done; it's hard to pull them up — especially the zinnias, which I love.
Save seeds for next season and share some with friends.
Save seeds for next season and share some with friends.
Freshen up containers. Remove annuals from containers and make new arrangements with dried grass, seedpods and branches to decorate for Thanksgiving.
I keep my pumpkins by the door until they begin to rot (then it's off to the dump pile). Dried gourds will last a lot longer and look good piled in baskets with pinecones.
More ideas for your fall garden
I keep my pumpkins by the door until they begin to rot (then it's off to the dump pile). Dried gourds will last a lot longer and look good piled in baskets with pinecones.
More ideas for your fall garden
Once the leaves drop, the exfoliating bark is very showy.