Published: November 06, 2009 09:46 am      

November lawn care

November has arrived in Pittsburg County, and what a great time to enjoy the outdoors.

Before you get the Thanksgiving holiday and deer hunting on your mind, make sure you have finished all the fall lawn chores. The following is a “small” list of things we need to do in November to keep our yard looking great through the winter and into next spring.

Lawn and Turf Care:

Fertilize cool season grasses like fescue with 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft.

This will kick the fescue into high gear.

Mow cool-season lawns at the height of two inches and water during dry conditions.

Control broadleaf winter weeds like dandelions. The herbicide 2-4, D will work well, along with several other broadleaf herbicides.

Trees and Shrubs:

Prune deciduous trees in the early part of winter. Prune only for structural and safety purposes.

Wrap young, thin-barked trees with a commercial protective material to prevent winter sunscald.

Apply dormant oil for scale infested trees and shrubs before temperatures fall below 40 degrees.

Continue to plant balled and burlapped trees. These trees need to be planted before Nov. 15, if possible.

Miscellaneous:

Tulips can still be successfully planted through the middle of November.

Leftover garden seeds can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer until next planting season. Discard seeds over 3 years old.

Gather and shred leaves. Add to compost, use as mulch or till into garden plots.

And as always, happy fall gardening!

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability or status as a veteran and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

David Cantrell is the Extension Agriculture Educator for the Pittsburg County Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. Call him at 423-4120, or e-mail him at david.cantrell@okstate.edu.