Sally Scalera

Brevard County Horticulture Extension Agent
3695 Lake Drive -- Cocoa FL 32926 -- 321-633-1702

November gardening plans

Oct. 27, 2007

November is almost here and with it should come cooler weather. You may feel like making some changes in your yard. If some of your annuals or vegetables are doing poorly then replant with some of the cool-season choices listed here. For other suggestions on gardening activities just read on.

  • As the days get shorter and the weather gets cooler you may only need to mow every two weeks.
  • Water only as needed, which is usually only once a week.
  • If you want to over-seed with rye wait until the end of the month. This is a great way to add organic matter to the soil.
  • Try to check your vegetable plants daily to make sure they are healthy. Keep an eye out for caterpillars and pick them off as needed.
  • Give vegetable plants some granular fertilizer monthly. Another helpful hint, once your vegetable plants are flowering and producing fruit, begin spraying a liquid seaweed product, like Maxicrop, on the foliage (both sides until it drips) every week.
  • Do not prune deciduous fruit trees until winter when all of their leaves have fallen off.
  • Vegetables that can be planted in November include beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, collards, kale, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, mustard, onions - short-day varieties - bulbing, bunching & multipliers, English peas, radish, spinach, strawberries, and turnips.
  • Remember – keep your poinsettias and Christmas cactus in the dark all night long to initiate blooms. A flood light coming on for just a brief period is enough to delay flowering.
  • Collect sago seeds in a plastic bag and place in the refrigerator for three to four months before sowing. (Warning, these seeds are very poisonous to dogs!)
  • Prune out any dead or diseased branches in trees and shrubs.
  • Hose out your bromeliads with fresh water once a week to keep the mosquitoes from breeding.
  • Some flowers that can be planted this month include alyssum, calendula, dianthus, flowering tobacco, pansy, petunia, phlox, snapdragon, stock, viola, nasturtium and flowering kale.
  • Bulbs that can be planted include Agapanthus, African iris, amaryllis (these make great Christmas gifts), Aztec lily (Sprekelia formosissima), calla, crinum, Kaffir lily (Clivia), day lily (Hemerocallis spp.), narcissus, Elephant ears (Alocasia, Colocasia, Xanthosoma), hurricane lily (Lycoris), society garlic (Tulbaghia violacea), snowflake (Leucojum spp.), shell ginger (Alpinia zerumbet), Marcia - walking iris (Neomarcia gracilis), Watsonia, Iris (Iris spp.) grow native iris or Louisiana iris and their hybrids (German or Japanese iris usually do not grow well here), rain lily (Zephyranthes) and spider lily (Hymenocallis spp.).
  • Herbs for the November garden include chives, garlic chives, fennel, rosemary, sage, lemon grass, salad burnet, lavender, dill, oregano, parsley, lemon balm, lavenders (Sweet, Spanish & French are your best bet), Mexican tarragon, chervil, cilantro and thyme.
  • Vegetables that can be sown now for transplanting in December include beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, lettuce (Crisp, Butter-head, Leaf & Romaine), Chinese cabbage, collards, English peas, kale, kohlrabi, leek, mustard, English peas and onions – short day varieties - bulbing, bunching and multipliers.
  • Here is a list of some of the fresh produce that could be available at produce stands or farmer’s markets in October: avocado, broccoli, cabbage, canistel, carambola, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, endive/escarole, grapefruit, honeydew, oranges, passion fruit, peppers, pummelo, radishes, squash, strawberries, sweet corn, tangerines & tangelos and tomatoes.