Jobs to do in November from the October 2000 Newsletter
- Prune winter flowering shrubs and check for signs of borer and.scale activity. Remove grass and weeds from around the base of the plant to eliminate breeding sites.
- It’s time to take care of your citrus. Any minute now the dreaded citrus leaf miner will be making its presence known. The moth.that lays the egg that develops into the larva that does all the damage only comes out at night and is tiny, but busy. Spray with Pest Oil and check for aphids at the same time. If it looks like the trunk of your citrus has been sprinkled with desiccated coconut, you’ve got white scale. Pest Oil will clean this up too. Prune out any branches that are dead, crossing over or congesting the interior of the tree. Feed and mulch your trees followed by a good watering.
- Orchids can be divided and re-potted now. The roots can withstand a relatively brutal dissection (e.g. with a saw but ensure that all damaged and diseased roots are removed before replanting to prevent infection.
- Take time out to smell the roses. Whilst you’re at it, feed them and check for scale and aphids. Deadhead as soon as the flowers finish and pick off any yellowing and spotty foliage. Water n the morning to minimise fungal spread.
- Watch those weeds if we have had good rain. If you want your place to took good at Christmas, a hit with glyphosate* now and at the beginning of December should see you through.
- Take cuttings of azaleas .and camellias and tidy up unruly growth for a more compact show next year. This is the last chance to feed them before the weather gets too hot.
- Annual flowers and vegetables are really starting to come away now and need lots of regular fertilising, watering and picking to keep them coming. Pick in the morning and feed and water in the evening for best results.
- Fill in any gaps in the garden beds around the house with groups of colourful seedlings for a floriferous festive season and top up the vegie garden with lettuce seedlings for summer salads.
- Lawns. They’re growing, get mowing.
* Editors note: this is an article from the archives – current thinking is to avoid the use of glyphosate where possible.