A Japanese maple glows in a November garden.
November Garden Chores
Faces among the fall flora at Gardenworks.
In This Issue
Bear Creek Park, Surrey, B.C.
Garden Beds - Veggie Beds - Soggy Soils - Plants for Wet Soils - Winter Protection - Slugs & Snails
Pruning - November Lawns - November Roses - Composting - Bananas, tree ferns, & palms
Stop tree caterpillars - Rain Gardens - Seed Saving
Hardwood Cuttings - Decorate Planters - Winterize Planters - Hummingbirds in Winter
Xmas Cactus & Friends - Winterizing Ponds - Helping Pollinators - Ornamental Grasses
Houseplants - Bland Gardens - Salt Damage - The Shed
November's Garden Stars - November's Garden Chores - November's Flower Arrangement
Plant Police: Pruning too late - Plant of the Month: Heavenly Bamboo
Pruning - November Lawns - November Roses - Composting - Bananas, tree ferns, & palms
Stop tree caterpillars - Rain Gardens - Seed Saving
Hardwood Cuttings - Decorate Planters - Winterize Planters - Hummingbirds in Winter
Xmas Cactus & Friends - Winterizing Ponds - Helping Pollinators - Ornamental Grasses
Houseplants - Bland Gardens - Salt Damage - The Shed
November's Garden Stars - November's Garden Chores - November's Flower Arrangement
Plant Police: Pruning too late - Plant of the Month: Heavenly Bamboo
Fellow Gardeners..
Gardens are just like soap operas, there's always something going on.
Hello Fellow Gardeners,
The allure of gardening is catching on; after all it’s one of the most common and favoured hobbies of the entire planet. Working outside in the fresh air with the birds singing, neighbours walking by with their dogs and the sound of children playing is good for the soul. It sure beats listening to the news and scrolling through news feeds, no matter how my back hurts at the end of the day. Gardening is an escape from the world like all hobbies, however gardening is not just physical, there’s a lot of grey matter getting a workout too. I’ve laid in bed thinking and planning, designing garden beds and triaging what needs to be done. It’s better than thinking about wars, politics and the price of bread. No matter what time of year it is, there’s always drama in the garden. It’s a veritable garden soap opera. Will the Celestial Shadow dogwood succumb to anthracnose? Has the rootstock of the Ketchup and Mustard rose taken over? Is it now just boring green relish? Will the overly robust seeds of the Marvel of Peru become the Marvel of North Delta and engulf the entire garden? Will the stink bug infestation from this year make a stink next year? These are the questions that keep me up at night as I try not to think about the price of bread, politics and wars as they are beyond my control. Gardening keeps my noggin busy, my body active and is a release from the pressures of this world. It is a safe haven, a sanctuary and a place where pulling out weeds and killing slugs becomes a priority. Wishing you happy gardening thoughts! Cheers, Amanda Gift Cards Available!
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Book a home visit and have your garden questions answered including trouble shooting sickly plants, pest control, plant ID, garden design, veggie gardening advice, pruning and how to lower your garden maintenance. Learn how to become a better gardener and enjoy your garden. Serving Metro Vancouver.
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The BC Fuchsia and Begonia Society promotes fuchsias, begonias, ferns and other shade-loving plants. The society meets at 7pm, 2nd Wednesday each month at St. Timothy's Church Hall, 4550 Kitchener Street. They offer knowledgeable speakers, plant displays, plant sales, refreshments and friendship. Click on Fuchsias & Begonias to learn more. Email rm.g(at)shaw.ca to attend a meeting.
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November Garden Stars
Beautyberry, Callicarpa bodinieri, North American deciduous shrub, 6-10', sun to part shade. Zones 6-8. Click on the pic for more.
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Japanese maple, Acer palmatum, deciduous tree, height, width, shape varies on species, cultivar, sun to part shade, shade from west sun. Zones 5 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Guernsey lily, Nerine bowdenii, perennial bulb, 14-18”x 3-6”, sun, fall flowers, well-drained soil. Zones 8 to 10.
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Japanese Stewartia, Stewartia pseudocamellia, deciduous tree, 20 - 40' tall, 10 - 25' wide, sun part shade, attractive bark, white camellia-like flowers June to July. Zones 5-8. Click on pic for more.
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Strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo, broadleaf evergreen, 10’-20’ tall & wide, fragrant, fruit & flowers at the same time Oct to Dec. Zones 7 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Ornamental kale, Brassica oleracea var. acephala, biennial, 1’x 15”, grown for foliage, sun to part shade. Zones 2-9. Click on the pic for more.
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Glossy abelia, Abelia x grandiflora, fall flowers, broadleaf evergreen shrub, 4 - 6’ x 5’, sun to part shade. Zones 6 to 9. Click on the pic for more.
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Royal Purple smokebush, Cotinus coggygria, deciduous shrub, purple summer foliage, fall colour, 10-15’ x 15’- 20’. Sun, part shade. Zones 4 to 8
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Maidenhair ornamental grass, Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’, 4-7ft x 3-6ft, copper blooms age to silver from fall thru winter, sun to part shade. Zones 5-9
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Winterberry, Gaultheria procumbens, broadleaf evergreen groundcover, 6” x 1’, white bell blooms June to July, edible red berries, part shade to shade. Zones 3 to 8. Click on pic for more,
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Dwarf winged burning bush, Euonymus alatus 'Compactus', deciduous shrub, 9 to 10' tall and wide, sun to part shade. Zones 4-8. Click on pic for more.
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Firethorn, Pyracantha coccinea, deciduous shrubby vine, 6’ – 18’ tall & wide, May white flowers, sun to part shade, bears large thorns. Zones 6 to 9.
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Tulip tree, Liriodendron tulipifera, deciduous tree, 60 – 90’. x 30 – 50’, summer flowers, sun. Zones 4 to 9.
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Pampass grass, Cortaderia selloana, herbaceous perennial, ornamental grass, 8-10' x 4-6', leaves have sharp edges, sun, drought tolerant. Zones 8 to 10. Aug
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Maidenhair tree, Ginkgo biloba, deciduous tree, sun to part shade, female trees produce smelly fruit, 50 -80’x 30’-40’, yellow fall colour. Zones 3 to 8. Click on pic for more.
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November Garden ChoresClick on the coloured links to be redirected.
This garden is ready for winter. It's been weeded, mulched with fall leaves, the perennials have been cut back, except for the maiden grass. It will be a nice feature during the winter.
Garden Beds: To prevent overwintering insects and diseases, remove infested and infected plants including plant parts from the ground. Keep healthy leaves and other organic debris to supplement the soil. Cut back dying and dead perennials to a couple of inches above the ground. Cover the soil with fallen leaves. Rake them from the lawn onto the garden beds. Click on Mulch for more info. To learn all about what to do in the garden to prepare it for winter and spring, click on Fall Garden Chores.
Veggie gardens: Remove all dead, dying, infested and diseased crops. Leave hardy plants like kale, but remove any dead and diseased foliage from the plants and the ground. Lay 3-inch layer of straw or fallen leaves on top of the soil on all the veggie beds whether they are planted or not to reduce erosion, nutrient loss and winter weeds.
Winter Protection: To protect tender plants over the winter, cover the crowns (where stems and roots join) of roses, shrubs and perennials with at least 3 to 6 inches of fall leaves or soil. You can also wrap the above ground portion of plants with layers of burlap, sheets, rugs, and cardboard. Don't use plastic, as it has no insulating value and causes more harm than good. Tie pyramidal, round and upright evergreens such as cedars with twine to prevent heavy wet snow from destroying their shapes. Click on Winterize Your Garden to get some tips and techniques.
Protect the central bud on palm trees - if you can reach it.
A tree fern is protected from the cold at VanDusen Botanical Gardens.
Bananas, tree ferns, & palms: Surround these tropical with chicken wire cages filled with straw or fall foliage. It’s critical to protect the top central bud on palm trees, because if that dies, so does the palm tree. Wrap non-LED Christmas lights wrapped around palm’s central growing buds. To learn more about protecting bananas & palms click here.
You can still plant spring flowering bulbs if the ground isn't frozen. Parrot tulip shown.
Spring Flowering Bulbs: You can still plant tulips and other spring flowering bulbs - if the ground isn’t frozen. Don’t let snow deter you; if you can dig a hole, you’re good to go. For more on bulb planting including protecting them from being eaten and design click here.
Tree banding is a simple, non-toxic, organic caterpillar control.
Stop tree caterpillars: Use Vaseline or tangelfoot to prevent caterpillars from crawling up tree trunks. Either purchase a tree banding kit (available where garden products are sold) or make your own bands. To learn how, click here.
If the ground isn't frozen, dig up and divide overgrown perennials. Black-eyed susan's (Rudbeckia fuldiga) pictured.
Transplant & Plant: It’s fine to do some planting if the ground isn’t too wet or frozen. Avoid rainy days to reduce diseases, soil compaction and to reduce accidents. Wet soil and tools are slippery. For more on How to Plant click here.
A French drain in the midst of construction. Once completed it will be disguised with strips of sod.
Soggy Soil: When the yard resembles more of a pond than a garden, inspect all drains in and around the property and remove any debris. For persistently soggy soils, consider installing a French drain. It’s a low-tech method to remove water using a trench and gravity. For more solutions click on https://www.thegardenwebsite.com/amandas-garden-websiteblog/how-to-drain-soggy-soil
Rain gardens are designed to capture and filter excess water with specific plants that are tolerant of wet soils in the winter and dry soils in the summer.
Rain gardens: Have you heard of rain gardens? They are an intelligent and beautiful solution to wet soils. Excess water is directed from the property into a wide planted with suitable plants. To learn more click on Langley Township Raingardens, and the US EPA.
Rodgersia, R. aesculifolia, does well in organic rich moist soil.
Red twig dogwood is an excellent shrub that does well in moist soils.
Plants For Soggy Soil: Instead of correcting drainage issues, consider going with the flow by incorporating plants that not only don’t mind wet feet, they will also absorb some of that water. Suitable plants include Astilbe, swamp maple (Acer rubrum), redtwig dogwood (Cornus sericea), willow (Salix spp.), goat’s beard (Aruncus dioicus), water avens (Geum rivale), Japanese iris (Iris ensata), Siberian iris (Iris sibirica), Ligularia spp., Rodgersia sp., river birch (Betula nigra), Persian ironwood (Carpinus persica) and Gunnera spp.
Compost should not be too wet nor too dry.
Compost: Not much happens in the compost pile during the winter so it’s okay to put it to rest. After adding your last batch of veggies and other organic debris, give it a good turn. If it is dry, add water until it feels like a wrung-out sponge. If it’s too wet, mix in fallen leaves or strips of newspapers. Give it one last turn then top it off with a thick layer of fallen leaves or newspaper. Click on Composting for more.
The ripened seed of a Four o'clock plant/marvel of Peru (Mirabilis jalapa).
Seed Saving: Save the brown, ripened seedpods on sunflowers, beans, sweet peas, nasturtiums. Don’t store damp or wet seeds as they will rot. For more click on collecting-seeds.
Rosemary cuttings.
Hardwood Cuttings: It’s surprising how easy it is to make copies of your favorite trees and shrubs by talking hardwood cuttings from dormant, mature stems. To learn more click here.
Root/Basal Cuttings: Take root and basal cuttings from Oriental poppy, phlox and other perennials now until mid-February. For more click here. 
Slugs damage on primroses.
Snails & Slugs: Soggy grey days and long nights bring out the mollusks. Their presence is evident from their slimy trails and tattered plant. Go slug hunting on those wet, grey days and pluck them off their victims. Drop them into a cup of salty water as you go. For other, less gross options click on Slugs & Snail.
A planter becomes a mini garden full of winter lovelies.
Decorate Planters: Remove any diseased and infected plants and plant parts including the soil surface. Add heathers, coral bells and other winter plants for seasonal interest. Accent with interesting evergreen branches and ones with berries. For more click here.
Protect potted plants by burying the pots in the ground and either cover with a thick layer of soil or straw.
Winterize Planters: Move planted containers that are not being used for winter displays, out of the
rain and into a protected area. Insulate the roots by wrapping the pot with bubble wrap, insulation or Styrofoam. Alternatively, if you have a protected spot under the eaves, dig a hole and set the pots in the ground. Finish off by wrapping the plant with protective plant covers, old sheets, tablecloths, a frost blanket or numerous layers of burlap. |
Plant Police
There's so many issues with this pruning job of a rhododendron hedge. First off, this is the wrong plant to use for a formal hedge. Rhododendrons leaves are too large and the branching structure isn't dense enough for shearing. It was also pruned at the wrong time of year - in October. It's best to cut them back right after flowering. And lastly, rhodos don't like nor need to be cut back. They do quite well on their own without being operated on.
Go easy when pruning roses, and feel free to leave their colourful rosehips.
November Roses: It's a good time to plant roses, especially bare root ones as they establish themselves quickly with the cool, wet weather. Keep pruning to a minimum to reduce winterkill, however do cut back overly long canes. This prevents their thorny canes from becoming lethal weapons and stops the roots from becoming dislodged in heavy winds (windrock). Cut off spent flowers unless you want to retain their colourful rose hips. Pick up all foliage from the soil and any infected ones remaining on the rose plant. Mound soil, compost and/or fall foliage around the crown on non-grafted roses (where stem and roots meet) and on the bud union on grafted varieties such as hybrid teas. To learn how to plant and how to take care of roses click here.
It's too late in the season for pruning, but do remove broken branches.
Pruning: Think again if you are planning on cutting back trees and shrubs, it’s not the right time. Instead, just remove any dead or broken branches. Wait until they are fully dormant in January and February to do any structural pruning. And if you want flowers on lilacs and other spring bloomers, don't cut them back now. Wait until after they finish flowering. Click on Pruning Basics 101 for more.
Lawns: If your lawn is still green and not under a layer of snow, rake off any remaining fall leaves, but don’t do it if it’s covered in frost. Don’t fertilize with a high nitrogen fertilizer (first number is highest on fertilizer labels, 5-3-2). If your lawn is hungry, yellow and weak because you haven’t fertilized it, apply a winterizer lawn fertilizer. They contain some nitrogen, but the prominent element is potash as it promotes winter hardiness (the last number 1-2-5). For the last cut of the year, set the mower height to 2 inches – no lower. Mow when the grass is dry (good luck with that) and not frosty. Overseed patchy with a grass seed combined with a starter fertilizer (middle number highest) to promote root growth. Click on Lawn Reno, Seed & Sod
Move all liquid products and fertilizers from the shed to a frost free and dry location.
Shed Contents: Remove all fertilizers, dormant oil/lime sulfur and other garden products and store in a frost free and dry location away from children and pets.
Outside Faucets Etc.: Blow out and drain irrigation systems, turn off the source to outside faucets and drain garden hoses. Garden Tools: Clean and sharpen garden tools and store in a protected dry area, away from the elements. Greenhouse: Remove debris & clean all surfaces. Journal: Update your garden journal noting the good, the bad and the ugly garden experiences of the year. Take lots of pics too. 
Salt damage is often mistaken for winterkill as the symptoms are similar.
Salt Damage: There are many de-icers on the market that don’t contaminate the soil nor injure plants like salt does. The subsequent damage appears in spring and is often mistaken for winterkill. There are numerous brands of organic salt-free de-icer available that are safe and non-toxic. For homemade solutions use kitty litter, sand, alfalfa meal or coffee grounds. Don’t forget a to wipe your feet before you go inside.
Store dahlia tubers in a dry and frost-free area during the winter.
Dahlias & other summer flowering bulbs: If you haven’t retrieved dahlias, glads, tuberous begonias, cannas & other tender bulbs from outside, you better get to it if you want to save them for next year. Because they are not hardy, they need to be overwintered in a cool, frost-free dry place. Click Dahlias or Tuberous Begonias to learn more.
Houseplants need some TLC during the winter.
Houseplants: The lack of sunlight, dry air and central heating are not the best conditions for tropical plants (houseplants). Spindly growth, yellow leaves, leaf drop, rotting, botrytis, spider mites, scale insects, mealy bugs are common maladies. To learn how to take care of tender plants indoors click on Houseplant Winter Care.
If you need ideas for your winter garden visit VanDusen Botanical Gardens and other public parks and gardens.
Bland & sparse gardens: There are many colourful and exciting plants for autumn and winter. Broadleaf evergreens, conifers, shrubs and trees with funky and colourful stems easily transform a dull garden. Don’t forget to add some winter flowering plants include pansies and heathers. Find out what’s available at your local plant nursery.
Weed: They’ll be way worse if you leave it until spring.
Ornamental grasses seed heads compliment winter gardens.
Ornamental grasses: It’s nice to keep seed heads on ornamental grasses as their seeds provide food for birds. They also look pretty good during the winter. However, if you want to cut them back, keep 6 inches of the stems to help them get through the winter.
Bodnant viburnum flowers provide food for early bees.
Plant Now for Early Bees: Help the bees that emerge in early spring by planting hellebores, primroses, winter jasmine, bodnant viburnum, witch hazels, snowdrops, crocus, winter aconite and other spring bloomers. For more info on pollinators click on Helping Pollinators
Mason Bee Hotels: Overwinter in a dry but cold location to prevent fungal growth. Don’t store them where it is warm as the bees may emerge prematurely. In March, place the bee hotel back outside.
Jerusalem artichokes: Cut down stems, dig up tubers and store in a bucket of vermiculite or clean potting soil.
Stored Veg: Check any stored potatoes and other veggies. Discard any rotten ones. 
Prep your pond asap if you haven't done so already.
Winterizing ponds: It’s important to remove leaves and all other organic debris to reduce toxic gasses that will foul the water. Don’t drain the water from ponds as it will only fill up with debris, rain and snow. To learn how to maintain a healthy pond throughout winter click on Ponds in Winter
Christmas cacti & friends: Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter cactus are not cactus, but succulents and they are closely related. To learn how to tell them apart and how to spur on blooming click here.
Socks help keep hummingbird nectar a tad warmer.
Hummingbirds: In the Pacific Northwest, Anna's hummingbirds don’t migrate to the south, instead they stay put. A steady supply of nectar is not only appreciated, but also a life-saver. It’s important to have more than one feeder as they are territorial. It’s also convenient to have extra ones on hand to replace ones when the nectar freezes. To keep nectar from freezing during the winter, click on Hummingbirds in Winter.
November's Floral Arrangement
November 2023
Maidenhair grass and Japanese spirea make a colourful and splashy arrangement. For specifics and for other arrangements go to Monthly Flower Arrangements
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Plant of the month
Heavenly Bamboo
Heavenly bamboo is not bamboo at all, but a shrub that bears colourful winter berries.
Colourful new foliage and berries appear together in March.
Berries persist from fall and throughout the winter.
Flowers appear in late summer.
Nandina have straight vertical stems that resemble bamboo.
Plants may or may not lose their foliage during the winter, depending on the climate.
Berries are toxic, especially to cedar waxwings.
Heavenly bamboo become garden stars in the winter.
Novembers foliage doesn't disappoint.
New spring foliage.
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Common Name: heavenly bamboo
Botanical Name: Nandina domestica Form: upright oval, fine textured Family: Berberidaceae Genus: Nandina Species: domestica Plant Type: shrub Mature Size: 3 to 8 feet x 2 to 4 feet Origin: India, Japan, China Hardiness Zone: 6 to 9 Foliage: green, tri or bipinnate compound with linear leaflets, bamboo-like, pointed tips with a wide base, red in spring, bluish-green in summer, purplish-red in autumn Flowers: showy, pink buds mature to white with yellow anthers, held in long clusters (panicles), slightly fragrant, Aug, Sept. Fruit: showy, bright red berries in autumn that linger throughout winter Stems: stiff, vertical, green, red, brown, with alternately arranged leaves Exposure: full sun to part shade, afternoon shade is recommrnded Soil: tolerant of most, but prefers moist humus-rich Uses: specimen, accent, cut flowers & foliage, screens, groups, shrub borders, woodland, foundation plantings, containers Attracts: berries attract birds, toxic to cedar waxwings, flowers attract bees and other pollinators Invasive Tendencies: yes, in Southeast US Resistant: drought tolerant once established, rabbits Propagation: seed, layering, semi-hardwood cuttings Pruning: thin out old stems mid to late winter Problems: root rot, fungal leaf spot Comments: Heavenly bamboo, Nandina domestica, is a broadleaf evergreen shrub. Their stems and foliage resemble bamboo, but they are not even related. They are not from heaven either, but from Asia, but they have so many attributes that may explain why they are so named. Nandinas are an attractive shrub with stiffly upright cane-like stems and colourful evergreen foliage. Its lacey, finely cut leaves change colour from green to red and purple in the autumn. Combined with their stunning berries, they are an essential plant to add interest and colour - no matter what the season. Heavenly bamboo’s slightly fragrant flowers appear are a welcome sight in fall as other plants decline. Their pink buds mature into white blossoms with bright yellow stamens. They are borne in clusters at the end of graceful arching stems followed by hanging grape-like clusters of brilliant shiny red berries. They persist well into the winter and provide food for hungry birds. For best fruiting plant several plants together in a cluster. Heavenly bamboo is not always evergreen. Where and when winters are harsh, they drop their leaves. Stems may even die back, however new ones will emerge from the rhizomes in spring. To increase their hardiness, plant them in sheltered locations away from strong winds and provide a winter mulch. Cover their base with 3 inches of soil, straw or fall leaves. Nandinas prefer a rich, moist soil, especially when young. As they age, they become more tolerant of dry soils. They benefit greatly from 3 inches of an organic mulch. Spread it on top of the soil to help retain moisture and to add nutrition. The Trouble with Heavenly Bamboo Be aware that their berries are toxic to wildlife, livestock and domestic pets especially when eaten in large amounts. They contain cyanogenic glycosides, that convert to hydrogen cyanide when ingested. Cedar waxwings love the berries so much so that they become intoxicated and die. It’s advisable to avoid planting nandinas where there are cedar waxwings, on farms, near horses and in gardens were children, cats and dogs like to graze on plants. As an alternative, plant cultivars that do not produce berries: Nandina ‘Nana', ‘Gulf Stream’,’ Firepower’ and ‘Blush Pink’. Another issue with heavenly bamboo is that they are invasive in eastern US, especially in the southern states. For more information on where nandinas have run amok click here. 
Flower clusters are held erect atop stems.
September foliage.
Gulf Stream is a dwarf nandina that doesn't bear berries.
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THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX
Click on the links below to be redirected.
for the tropical Gardener
While working in Florida as horticultural consultant, it became apparent that there was a need for a book on tropical shrubs. There are so many wonderful shrubs to choose from, so I wrote a reference book to make the selections easier. Ornamental Tropical Shrubs includes pictures in full colour and information about the plants in point form. So if you live in the tropics and subtropics and need a reference book on tropical shrubs, or you just want to have a look-see click here.
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