Preparation for Winter

In November your plants, both indoor and outdoor, will need your focused attention.

Cool temperatures in the soil may cause your bulbs to take root and start growing. Make sure that you get your tulips and daffodils now too.

You might want to consider cutting back your perennials although there is no real rush as they can be left to spring. An expectation to this rule is the iris. You must cut them back and dispose of the leaves. This will avoid the iris borer from laying its eggs.

Transplant boxwood, roses, etc. Water them once a week as long as weather permits.

Now is a good time to add some more mulch. Spread around plants at the base to protect its roots from a drop in temperature.

Weather permitting you can stop cutting your grass in November. You do want to keep cutting it if it’s continuing to grow but that will likely happened cease them month. Do leave it at 3” for the winter.

You want to make sure you remove your leafs and be sure to rake or vacuum at least one time per week

November is going to be your last time to fertilize. Make sure you use one that is mostly nitrogen. Also, do a weed and feed application to control weeds.

Take a look at the stacks of firewood around your property. Firewood can attract roaches and other critters. Make sure they are stored far enough away so that the pests can’t get inside your home.

Mulch or Bag?

For years I have heard that leaves from Oak are high in acid and that you need to bag and remove them off your lawn so the PH stays good in your lawn. Until recently I had no formal education into the matter.
The truth is that leaves get their nutrients from the ground and that by mulching them back into the ground you're actually putting a lot of those nutrients back into the ground. Then again if you have a large amount of leaves you might want to think about using them in more than one way. Leaves make a good base for mulch in your flower and garden beds.
Start yourself a compost bed this year. Mulched leaves can make a good base for your compost beds. Always mulch first and then use what you can where you can. If at the end of the day you just have to have that pristine no leave lawn and don't have any other room for them, bag the rest.