Middle South
November 14, 2002
By Barbara Pleasant,
Brevard, NC
Eat Your Greens
Don't hold back, because they'll never be better than they are right now. Cool nights have made mustard, turnips, collards, and kale extra crisp and sweet, but when it gets really cold, the plants will suffer.
Plant Garlic
Big, fat cloves grow into the strongest plants, so eat the skinny ones and plant the big boys. Set cloves 3 inches deep and 8 inches apart, and follow up with a mulch to deter winter weeds.
Keep Planting Bulbs
Bulb planting season is still in full swing. Now that the leaves are down, look for spots that get winter sun followed by summer shade. These are great places to plant daffodils, grape hyacinth, star of Bethlehem, and other bulbs that naturalize well.
Nurture Moss
Want to encourage a swath of lush green moss? First, rake off leaves and pine needles that block light. Then, fertilize the moss with fish emulsion or another gentle source of nitrogen. If necessary, install stepping stones to foster peace between moss and foot traffic.
Trim Mums
Snip off dead chrysanthemum blossoms, but leave the old stems and leaves intact through winter. Even after the plant tops freeze to brown, they'll shelter the shallow roots and buds. In spring, you will have robust plants to dig, divide, and replant.