Birds: Sunflower hulls can release toxins into the soil that could harm nearby plantings so occasionally clean up fallen hulls under birdfeeders or use hulled sunflower seeds in feeders.
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Bulbs: Keep planting spring bulbs. Bring tender summer bulbs such as gladioli and dahlias indoors and store them in a cool place.
Blue moon: That's what they call the second full moon in a month. There's one tomorrow.
Deer: Head off problems early, before the creatures get in the habit of browsing in your garden. Two rows of inexpensive 4-foot snow fencing spaced several feet apart may be enough to do the job. Deer are high jumpers but not broad jumpers.
Houseplants: Now that you've brought them inside, cluster them together to create a little bubble of humidity in your house. They will appreciate it.
Lawnmowers: Drain the fuel from all power tools. Spray moving parts with a lubricant.
Pots: Store valuable pots and garden statues indoors for the winter or wrap them in insulation such as Styrofoam. If you are storing pots outside, turn them upside down to protect them from collecting water that could freeze and crack them.
Roses: This is the best time to plant or move them, during winter dormancy but before the ground freezes. First, prepare the new site. Then prune back the top growth to three or four canes and shorten these to a foot in length. Dig up as large a rootball as possible and replant quickly, being careful not to injure the swollen area near the crown where most roses are grafted onto rootstock. Add a handful of superphosphate to the planting hole.
Tools: Use the metal, bristled brushes designed for cleaning charcoal barbecue grills to take caked-on mud off garden tools before storing them for the year.
Watering: Wonder why the trees have held onto their leaves so late this year? They're drought stricken. Trees need a certain amount of water in the ground just to drop their leaves, so the foliage still on the trees is really sending you an SOS. We've been short of rain since August. Even with this week's rain, November precipitation is almost three inches below normal. You have to make up those missing inches yourself. So hook up your hoses again and give everything a deep watering of two hours' duration, especially new turf seedlings and sod, ornamentals that have been planted within the last two years, evergreens, and all your trees, including those that already have lost their leaves. Do it again next week before you turn off the outdoor pipes for the winter. Otherwise, you may suffer winter losses or have sickly trees next spring.
Weeding: This is a great time to spot and remove perennial weeds such as deadly nightshade and honeysuckle that usually are hidden by other leaves.
CAROL STOCKER
