Autumn Drought Woes

• Maintain consistent watering practices until the ground freezes, especially in newly established plantings and young trees and shrubs

• Avoid unnecessary pruning or trimming during drought conditions

• Mulching can help conserve moisture in the soil

Many of us were spoiled by the heavy spring/early summer rains and did not get into the practice of watering consistently during the growing season. Our plants will start to show signs of stress now, and potentially in the next growing season. Learn what to monitor for and how to correct course this fall to help your plants have a better spring! 

Helping Plants During the September-October Drought

Putting your Vegetable Garden to Bed

Part of fall clean-up in the yard is winterizing your vegetable garden.  Here are a few things you can do to put your vegetable gardens to bed and prepare them for the next growing season: 

• Harvest everything.  Store only mature fruits and vegetables and compost those that are rotting.  Be sure to throw away infected vegetables and fruit.  

• Remove all plant debris and only compost those that are free of pests or diseases.  Throw away any that are.
• Have a soil test done now and amend if needed so the beds are ready for the next growing season.

Learn More about Putting Your Garden to Bed

Decorate for the Holidays with Materials from Your Garden

Thanksgiving celebrates the autumn harvest, and dinner tables are often decorated with centerpieces of dried flowers, seed heads, grass plumes  and ornamental branches. The winter holidays also have a long standing history of using evergreens, pinecones and berries to decorate homes.

Gardeners who practice this regularly may have established plants to harvest their decorations from. Those just starting out may not have everything they want/need. Here's a few tips to help you gather material to create your own holiday decorations:

• Never remove something from property other than your own without permission

• Take plant material from healthy plants. Clean pruners in between plants to avoid spreading diseases between plants

• Inspect plant material for insects before bringing it into your home

• Make sure you are able to accurately identify any plant material you bring into your home. This will help you prevent accidental exposure to irritants, allergens or toxic plants

• Florists, craft stores, and even some farmers markets are a great source for pre-dried plant material
  
• Looking for evergreens to make your own wreaths or window boxes? Florists, Christmas Tree Farms, and even Garden Centers may carry bulk greens in late November/Early December for decorating.
  
  • If you already get your yearly "cut your own" Christmas tree, consider finding a slightly taller tree anduse the trimmings to create your door swags, wreaths, etc. 

Fall Cleanup Provides an Opportunity for Dazzling Dried Bouquets

DIY Dried Flowers for Thanksgiving

Holiday Decorating with Fresh Greenery

Native Plant Highlight: Rhus aromatica

The Rhus aromatica 'Gro-low' fragrant sumac is a cultivar of R. Aromatica, which is native to North America from eastern Canada to Mexico. It is a good low- growing shrub to use as a groundcover in sites like slopes or when there is no supplemental watering.

They need well-drained soils and can grow in full sun or part shade. The small flowers attract pollinators, fruits attract songbirds, and leaves turn a striking orange in the fall. These plants are drought tolerant and resistant to rabbit feeding.

Learn More About Rhus aromatica

Wildlife Highlight: Dunlins

Dunlins are found in large flocks along our shoreline in winter. Plumage in winter is less attractive than breeding plumage. They have a long, downcurved black bill, black feet and legs and have a white stripe along the upper side length of the wings that can be seen when they are flying. They forage for invertebrates in exposed mud and sands sand during low tides.

Learn More About Dunlins

Word from the WiSE

October 2024 Weather Outlook

A seasoned gardener always keeps their eye to the sky at any time of year! NOAA's National Weather Service released their discussion about how weather patterns in September will bring us into harvest season!

     

30 Day Outlook for November 2024

Knowledge to Grow On

Upcoming Events and Things to Do

•  Smith College Fall Chrysanthemum Show  - Open November 2-14. Northampton, MA.
• Support local farms, restaurants and businesses as you plan your Thanksgiving feasts! 

• Run off that turkey in a marathon or enjoy as a spectator:
  • Manchester Road Race 
  • Newtown Turkey Trot
  • Pequot Runners Thanksgiving Race

A late Thanksgiving this year will give us a shortened holiday season for shopping and festivities. Start early to get the most of your experience!

• Find holiday gifts at local craft fairs! 

• Find your Christmas Tree! 

• Glow Hartford opens November 29th this year! Enjoy an indoor light display and vendor fair.

Educational Opportunities & Workshops

• Composting for Sustainability - Nov. 20, Westport, CT

• Attend A Local Garden Club meeting, talk, or workshop

• Eco-Holiday - Nov. 29 - Dec. 22, Derby CT. Decorators transform recyclable and throwaway materials into masterpieces representing eight biomes ranging from rain forest to desert. 

UConn Educational Events

The University of Connecticut's Animal Science Department offers a winter horseback riding program to the public with something for everyone!

Dressage, Hunt Seat, Polo and Western are open to adults and children who meet the minimum age and skill level requirements.

UConn Winter Riding Lessons

November Gardening Tips

• With the weather we've been having, it's still a great time to have your soil tested. Beat the spring rush and have your soil ready to go well before the growing season begins!

• Purchase some paperwhite bulbs and follow the directions for forcing bulbs so that they bloom for the holiday season

• Mulch garlic plantings to prevent frost heaving

• Finish the cleanup of the vegetable garden or beds, removing all plant debris

• Asian lady beetles and Brown marmorated stink bugs may enter the home to overwinter. Use weather stripping or caulking to keep them out.

• Use a mulching blade to finely chop fallen leaves of healthy trees and let them decompose on the lawn. Completely remove and dispose of any leaves that have shown signs of disease.

• Continue to thoroughly water trees, shrubs, planting beds, lawn areas and recently planted evergreens until a hard frost. Plants should go into the winter well-watered. 

• It is not a good idea to leave fuel in the lawn mower or other gas-powered tools over winter. If there is some gasoline left, run the mower until it is used up.

• Be sure to drain hoses and sprayers before cold weather sets in.

• Cut back perennials that were covered in powdery mildew during the summer. Cut stalks to the ground and dispose of them.

• Leave seed heads on ornamental grasses for winter interest.

This Month’s Newsletter Contributors: 
Pamm Cooper, Dr. Nick Goltz, Dawn Pettinelli, Marie Woodward, Heather Zidack