- Finish transplanting and dividing work by the first week of the month
- Cut back peony and hosta, plants that don’t “die well” and may transmit fungal diseases
- Leave perennial seed heads if you enjoy bird activity during winter – otherwise cut back now
- Leave hydrangea, tree peony, foxglove, hellebore, ornamental grasses, tall sedums, roses, perennial herbs, and cutback shrubs (butterfly bush, smoke tree, beautyberry, St. Johnswort)
- Aim to leave a 1”-2” layer of leaves on garden beds as winter protection, then remove in spring
- Remove leaves from driveways, walkways and lawns now
- Fully clean up vegetable gardens to prevent transmittal of fungal diseases and remove potential overwintering spots for insect pests
- Sow cover crop of winter rye in empty vegetable gardens or mulch with sterilized straw to protect and enrich soil over winter
- Mulch blown away from newly planted trees, shrubs and perennials should be replaced with a winter mulch layer for complete protection from temperature fluctuations
- Plant bulbs now until the ground freezes
- Dormant prune deciduous shrubs and trees once leaves have fallen, now through April, especially Japanese maples, fruit trees and any overgrown material
- Remove upright suckers from double file viburnums
- Prune grapevines and blueberries
- Fall soil amending can be done until the ground freezes, including vegetable gardens, following soil test recommendations