What To Do In Ridgefield Gardens In November

RIDGEFIELD, CT — For most Ridgefield gardeners, November is less about what to plant and more focused on cleaning away all those leaves.

But Lisa Chuma, a member of The Ridgefield Garden Club, advises there are still plenty of reasons to get your hands dirty.

"If you want to have bulbs in the spring, such as tulips, daffodils, hyacinth — or in a vegetable garden, garlic — this would be the time to plant," she told Patch.

Society garlic, an ornamental plant, has its roots in both flower and vegetable gardens. Its bluish green leaves are a favorite of landscapers of every stripe, and its leaves can be chopped up like chives and used in salads and stir fries. This is the month to get that garlic into the ground.

November's also a good time to show your crabgrass who's boss. Chuma says she pulls those weeds from her lawn by hand, but acknowledges her hardcore approach might not be for everyone. Whatever your angle of attack, get them out of the ground now, before the weeds get a chance to spread more seeds in the spring.

Crabgrass is not the only eyesore to evict from your vegetable and flower gardens this month. Chuma says the days before Thanksgiving are perfect to drive a stake through dead annuals like tomato plants and impatiens.

Don't get too carried away with your purge, however. Some of that dead stuff will still be sporting seeds, and your local snow bird population will love you more if you leave a bit of their buffet intact, Chuma said.

After savaging your crab grass with extreme prejudice, it's time to take a more nurturing approach with your delicate shrubs, such as arbor vitae or boxwoods.

"Wrap those up with twine or burlap, just to prevent any damage from snow and ice in the winter," Chuma said.

With less going on in the garden, November is the month to spend some more time in the shed. Drain and store all your hoses, clean your garden tools, and don't forget about cleaning the gutters.

Sure, but what about all those leaves?

"I actually chop up my leaves and put them back into my garden, and it just really helps the soil," Chuma said. "Not everything has to go to the dump or end up in areas that we don't want them. We can just reuse things naturally. And it's actually beneficial for the soil and poor lawns."