November

In this essential guide for November lawn & garden maintenance, you will find timely tips and expert advice on how to care for your lawn and garden as we head deep into the heart of autumn.

Maintenance

• Test soil to correct deficiencies before winter.  Soil testing is easy when using SoilKit®, available at any Marcum’s Nursery location.
• Apply ferti-lome® Fruit, Citrus, and Pecan Tree Food to fruit and nut trees.
• Apply ferti-lome® Tree and Shrub Food or Marcum’s Nursery Slow-Release Fertilizer 18-6-12 to trees and shrubs.
• Compost annual debris and leaves.  Do not compost diseased plants or plant parts.
• Generally speaking, November 15 to March 15 is the best to prune most trees and shrubs.
• Drain gasoline from power equipment or use a fuel stabilizer before winter storage.
• Drain and store water hoses and wrap hydrants.  Clean up tools and coat metal surfaces with a thing film of oil to prevent rust.
• Dispose of pinecones from pines infested with Diplodia or Dothistroma.  Prune out dead tips.
• Prepare the landscape for winter by mulching.  Marcum’s carries many varieties of great mulch.

Lawn Care

• Continue overseeding fescue when the ground temperatures are above 50°F.  Use ferti-lome® New Lawn Starter 9-13-7 or Milorganite® on new lawns.
• At the beginning of the month (on established cool-season lawns), fertilize again using Marcum’s Nursery Slow-Release Fertilizer 18-6-12 (40 lbs. covers 7,200 ft²).
• Continue to control broadleaf weeds in well-established warm or cool season laws using ferti-lome® Weed Free Zone, a post-emergent herbicide.
• Continue mowing cool-season lawns on a regular basis.
• Remove leaves from cool-season lawns or mow with a mulching mower.

It’s Time to Plant

• Continue planting pansies, kale, and cabbage.
• Plant container trees and Ball and Burlap (B & B) trees when they go dormant.
• Purchase spring flowering bulbs and refrigerate or keep them in a cool, dry spot (like the garage) until mid-November when ground temps are 50°F or below.  Check out our Bulb Planting Guide for more information.

Pest Patrol

• Scale insects can be controlled with Hi-Yield® Dormant Spray.  Apply when the temperature is above 40°F in late fall and winter.  Do not use “dormant oils” on evergreens.

For questions regarding November maintenance guidelines, please call Goldsby 405 288-2368, Oklahoma City 405 691-9100,  Norman 405 447-3100, or Ardmore 580 223-1846.