Oklahoma gardeners will want to take advantage of this month being an excellent month to plant bare rooted trees, shrubs, ground covers, vines, plants that are permanent. 

Begin vegetable garden with cool season plants like onions, radishes and potatoes (see article on the Best onions and potatoes for Oklahoma gardeners).

Finish up transplanting

Fertilizer

If you have never done a soil test on your yard/beds now would be a great time to do so as we approach the growing season.  (see article "SOIL TESTING"). 

Continue with pre-emergent weed control. Corn gluten meal can be applied at 20lbs./ 10000 sq.ft.

If you use chemicals this will be the 1st application of a broad leaf pre-emergent February 20th. Prior to the 10th use post-emergent .

Prune

Shade and ornamental trees can be pruned lightly to remove limbs that have been damaged by the winter winds/freezes.  Also remove limbs that are crossing and those the would allow more light into the plant.  Following proper pruning techniques.

Evergreens with scale type leaves should have the longest canes pruned to reduce height and maintain the plants natural appearance.

Roses that bloom only once should be pruned, ie. bush and climbers.

Finish up pruning all summer flowering shrubs and hedges.

Water

Winter annuals and any dry soil areas…particularly in drought and windy conditions.

Do not Forget to feed and water the birds

Oklahoma’s "Original" Red Dirt Gardener

You would think in all this color and beauty, there would be a break in the Oklahoma garden chores …but NO!  Below are the “Original” Red Dirt Gardener’s tips for the month of November.

Plant

Continue planting spring flowering bulbs like daffodils, tulips, & hyacinths. I always cool my bulbs for 30 to 45 days prior to planting in December. (do not store bulbs in plastic bags or plastic containers as they might become diseased by the moisture).

Finish planting cool season spring flowering annuals  like pansies, kale, flowering cabbage, alyssum and Johnny jump ups.

Transplanting of woody plants can begin after the first frost.

Spring and summer flowering perennials like iris and day lilies.

Trees, shrubs and vines.

Fertilize

During the first week fertilize cool season turf.

Continue controlling broadleaf weeds in well established warm and cool season lawns with post emergent weed killer.  If you are opposed to chemicals as I am, manually remove the emerging weeds.

Put down 1/2” of compost if you have a poorly performing lawn.  the compost also servers as an excellent dressing in your beds.

Foliar feed all actively growing plants like evergreens with Garret juice. (see recommended organic products)

Prune

Remove (deadhead) all spent blooms and dead tips on annuals and perennials.

Trim away all dead and dying.

Selectively prune spindly growth.

Do major pruning from mid November through February.

Compost all debris except of what is diseased

Due to the numerous pine diseases in Oklahoma I recommend disposing of all pine needles and cones by removing them from your property.

Do not prune newly planted trees or shrubs.

Mulch

All bare ornamental beds for winter protection and help in preventing weeds in the spring.

DO NOT pile mulch up the trunk of trees as it will only cause the tree to become diseased. see “Red Dirt Gardening’s 5 Tips for Mulching Trees”

Continue mowing cool season lawns.

Save those leaves and branches to chipper shred and use for mulch in your beds.

Water

The Oklahoma wind still dries out our Oklahoma red dirt lawn and garden. Though we do not need to water as often, vegetation still needs water so water at least once a month if the soil is dry.

Water 24 hours before a freeze.  This will help to prevent winter freeze and plant death.

If You Have A Water Feature

Now is a good time to lay a screening material, anchored by stones over the pool portion of your Oklahoma water feature to keep out the debris. As soon as all the leaves have fallen and have been raked up, remove the screening material and store until next year.

November’s Last Weekend Chore 

As Oklahoma Red Dirt Gardening chores begin to slow down, I find that November is also a good time to clean up and winterize all my tools. This includes draining the fuel from my power equipment.  As well as cleaning and sharpening my tools. They are stored with a quick spray of lubricant on them to prevent rusting. 

Click here for tips on winterizing your sprinkler system in the OKC and surrounding areas. 

Don’t forget to feed and water the birds!

The “Original” Red Dirt Gardener 

Plant
All remaining daffodils and tulips that were not planted earlier. Oklahoma Red Dirt Bulb Planting 101

Transplant all remaining shrubs that need to moved.

Trees, shrubs, and vines.

Fertilizer
Organic fertilization of newly planted trees and shrubs can be drenched with Garrett Juice to stimulate root growth.  This can be done each month until the plant is established.

If you did not treat young pines for tip bores in November do so before March.

Organic treatment of cool season weeds in dormant turf can be done with real 10% vinegar made from grain alcohol (do not use 20% vinegar made from 99% acetic acid).

To chemically treat cool weather weeds, you can use a post emergent broad leaf weed killer as long as it is above 50 degrees F.  ie Roundup. 

Prune
Most deciduous trees and shrubs.

Evergreens with both scale and needle like leaves.

All dead and diseased branches and limbs.

Lower limbs to facilitate mowing and allow for passage down sidewalks.

Limbs or branches that are crossing Crowded center branches can also be removed to improve air flow.

Summer flowering trees to shape them.

Remember not to use pruning paint and not to make flush cuts.  Leave the branch collar.

(see Red Dirt Gardening article on "Pruning") 

Water
Check soils moisture levels.  The top of the soil maybe dry to the touch, so you might want to use a long screw driver or 10" nail to see if the under lying soil is still moist.  This can be done by sticking a screw driver or nail  down in the ground about 6 inches.  

If there has been no significant rain fall water all beds and turf.                                       

24 hours before a hard freeze.

Do not forget to feed and water the birds

The Original Red Dirt Gardener

Fertilize  
Worm casting are gentle fertilizer to be use with bulbs.
Cool season turf can be fertilized during the first week of November. 
Use 1/2 rate of organic fertilizer like Sustane.

Scale insects can still be treated as long as the temperature is above 40 degrees with dormant oils.  Remember not to use dormant oil on evergreens.

Continue to control broadleaf weeds with a post-emergent.

Prune 
Begin tree pruning towards the end of the month by removing dead and diseased branches. Wait to December and January to actually begin major pruning.  Be sure to follow proper practices by not making any flush cuts thus leaving the branch collar. Do not using pruning paint as it inhibits wound healing (see Basic Pruning Articles).

Water 
As the weather cools, remember to continue to water as needed. Evergreens and cools season turf will need the moisture.

The ideal time to water is to begin at about 4am. This prevents evaporation and moisture from laying on your flowering plants for too long as this encourages disease like powdery mildew.

Feed the Birds

The Original Red Dirt Gardener