The Chi Gardener

Today is November 15. Outdoor dates are University of Illinois Extension for northern Illinois. Indoor dates are the Old Farmer’s Almanac for Chicago. The Almanac puts tomatoes and peppers outside about three weeks sooner. This page waits for the Extension window.

November

Send your garden from My garden and this month will name the plants on that list.

After the ground cools. Mulch new trees and garlic. Do it once the soil is cold, not while it is still warm enough to host mice.
All month. Leave native stems and leaves. Cut back only the beds that had disease.
Before a hard freeze. Drain hoses. A forgotten hose bib on an alley wall splits.

Seeds and propagation

Dormant-sow native seed after the first hard frost.

Planting

No routine plug planting after freeze.

Harvest and edibles

Harvest sunchokes as needed; store nuts correctly.

Water

Stop routine watering after hard freeze.

Care

Mulch 2–3 in where appropriate; protect woody plants from rabbits/deer.

Edible landscape

Leave stems and leaves. Protect new trunks from rabbits.