Call me crazy, but I am already thinking about what vegetables I want to start growing this coming year. I know I want to branch out and grow some new things, but I've also re-evaluated just how much I need to grow. For example, I can plant 2-3 less tomato plants, but I need many more onions. It seems as the sun begins to sink earlier and earlier, our gardens are winding down, storing and preparing for winter. But my mind is still working overtime, planning a bed expansion, securing mulch, making a compost bin. November is a great month to tie up loose ends in the garden, especially with the bonus of usually pleasant working conditions. Now is a great time to prepare and think about next year, and also what you can do to help your garden through the winter.

If you haven't had a routine soil test, it is a good way to test for nutrients in the soil, so you do not over or under fertilize. A routine soil test measures pH and also the big three macronutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Routine soil tests are $10 at your local County Extension office. Feel free to call 405-321-4774 for questions about sampling. Testing your soil is very important as excess nutrients in the soil can cause havoc in our gardens and negatively affect plant growth. A soil test is recommended for all crops, especially for those growing fruits or vegetables.

In addition, beginning from about November 15 to March 15 is the ideal time to prune deciduous trees. Taking off a little bit overall, or giving "haircuts" is discouraged, while selective pruning is the best. This includes removing dead limbs, crossing or rubbing branches, sucker growth, and bunchy growth or "witches broom." Promoting an open canopy on plants and trees is also beneficial, by always pruning to an outward facing bud. It is also beneficial to wait until all the leaves are off the tree, so you can see the true shape and have less mess to clean up. On this note, I would also encourage you to not "top" any woody plants. This is especially true for Crapemyrtles. As resilient as they tend to be, topping produces unsightly knuckles on the plant and can eventually cause the branches to stop putting out new growth. And that means no blooms in summer.

Planting trees grown in containers is also great to do this time of year. It is better for the tree and you, as neither will tend to dry out too much while digging the hole. Planting the tree too deep can be detrimental, so the planting hole should be slightly more shallow that the root ball depth, and 2-3 times the diameter of the root ball. By planting trees now, the root system has a head start at establishment before the flush of new spring growth. Fall is also a good time to purchase trees, as you can see what color the tree will actually be when the leaves begin to change.

There are many miscellaneous projects that can also be accomplished while the weather is good. If you are an onion, garlic or potato grower, you will be most likely planting in February. Now is a good time to begin getting the bed ready, so all you have to do is plant when the time comes. A cover crop like Austrian Winter Peas or other cool weather legume is good to plant this time of year as it will add nitrogen and organic matter back to the soil, and prevent soil erosion. Even putting down a layer of straw or other mulch will help hold in soil moisture and suppress weeds.

You can also incorporate compost or other organic matter into the soil to improve drainage and soil structure. If you would like try your hand at making compost, you can construct compost bins easily from fence, hog panels, t-posts, wood or any other scrap material you may have laying around. Composting reduces the amount of waste in landfills, and also means you may not have to take out the trash quite as much. Incorporate kitchen scraps, shredded paper, newspaper, livestock manures, coffee grounds, dead indoor plants or garden plants, grass clippings, leaves, wood mulch or other materials to get started. Keep the pile moist, like a sponge, but not soggy. Turning the pile weekly will incorporate air and speed up decomposition.

Don't forget your flower beds and trees either. Trees will benefit from an application of fertilizer around the drip-line in November and February. Refer to your soil sample recommendations for rates or use a nitrogen only fertilizer, and always incorporate fertilizer with supplemental watering immediately. In addition, you can replenish the mulch around trees and shrubs to help limit the temperature fluctuations in the soil that are bound to happen.

Below are more tips for winter projects and planning for next year. Whatever you decide to do in your garden, do have a plan in mind. I would hate for you to lose sleep come April over which variety of eggplant to buy.

Winter Preparation Tips:

Remove gasoline from equipment you won't be using

Drain and store hoses

Clean birdhouses and birdbaths

Clean pots with a 10% bleach solution and store

Dig up tender bulbs and store in a cool, dry place