Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: November to-do’s
Got fruit trees? Got rotten fruit debris? Might want to clean that up!
Oftentimes, that debris is a hiding spot for disease that overwinters and then presents itself next season. I also cut back any perennials with slimy foliage like hosta and heuchera, for instance.
Again, those leaves can harbor spores of fungi that can be rejuvenated in the Spring and start a disease cycle all over again.
If you have a paniculata hydrangea such as PeeGee or an Annabelle that is out of control, you can cut it back now. Hydrangeas that bloom on new wood, can be cut back by a third. The photo below is from earlier this year but, as you can see, they’re not large enough to need any pruning.
Usually the ones I see that need this are the hydrangea arborescens such as Annabelle. This pruning will invigorate the plant and keep it healthy. You can prune out dead wood any time. That goes for any tree or shrub. Be sure to clean up the area.
Don’t leave piles of fallen leaves bunched up on your lawn, that allows for snow mold in the spring. Mow ’em over and mulch ’em! I did and then laid them on my raised bed.
