In the Garden | November
Monthly guide for gardening tasks, forecasts, and more

NEW: This article has been updated to include additional to-do items for the fall garden, including Farmers' Almanac weather forecasts and moon phases, November 2015.

 Fallen leaves lying on the grass in the November sun bring more happiness than the daffodils--Cyril Connolly
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Fertilize: Fertilize strawberry beds with a 3-1-2 ratio fertilizer. Keep soil moist to promote good plant vigor and berry production next spring.

Water:  Water everything well before a freeze, but avoid overwatering.

Transplant:  Divide and replant crowded perennials throughout the winter months. Transplant chives, garlic and multiplying onions. Now is the best time to move woody ornamentals. Prepare the new site before transplanting.

Prepare Soil:  Have landscape and garden soils tested now to determine soil balancing needs. Check winter mulch and replenish if needed. Stockpile leaves for mulch and composting throughout spring and summer.

Lawn Care:  Bring a sample of problem turf into your local Extension Office in a labeled plastic bag for analysis. A mulching mower makes raking leaves obsolete or use grass catcher as a mulch catcher. Use shredded leaves and grass clippings as a mulch or put into the compost bin.

Diseases/Pests to Look For:  Watch roots of removed annuals for nematodes (knots on the roots). Check houseplants for spider mites, scale and mealy bugs.

Prune:  After blooming, 
chrysanthemums should be cut back almost to the ground. Prune long, gangly shoots on shrubs. Remove dead and damaged wood from shrubs and trees.

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GARDENING BY THE MOON

9th-11th Start seedbeds. First two days are good days for transplanting and for planting carrots, beets, onions, turnips, Irish potatoes, and other root crops in the South. Last day is good for planting cabbage, celery, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, collards, and other leafy vegetables in southern Florida, Texas, and California. 12th-13th Poor planting days. 14th-16th Good days for planting peas, squash, corn, tomatoes, and other aboveground crops in southern Florida, Texas, and California. 17th-18th A good time to kill plant pests or do plowing. Poor for planting. 19th-20th Favorable days for planting aboveground crops where climate allows. 21st-22nd Seeds planted now will grow poorly and yield little. 23rd-24th Fine for planting beans, peppers, cucumbers, melons, and other aboveground crops where climate is suitable. Plant root crops where climate permits. 25th-26th Any seed planted now will tend to rot. 27th-28th Start seedbeds and flower gardens. Good days for transplanting. Best planting days for fall potatoes, turnips, onions, carrots, beets, and other root crops where climate is suitable. 29th-30th Grub out weeds, briars, and other plant pests.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR SOUTH CENTRAL UNITED STATES: NOVEMBER 2015
8th-11th. Turning unsettled with gusty winds, heavy precipitation; some wet snow northern New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. Unusually late hurricane threat for Gulf Coast. 12th-15th. Rain for Texas, points east, then clearing. Fair elsewhere. 16th-19th. Blustery, snow for Plains States. 20th-23rd. Fair, cold. 24th-27th. Unsettled for Thanksgiving holiday, with light snow Rockies, Plains. Fair, then rain for Texas. 28th-30th. Fair skies, then stormy.

Full Beaver Moon – November This was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Full Beaver Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now actively preparing for winter. It is sometimes also referred to as the Frosty Moon.
Forecasts for additional U.S. and Canada regions, can be found at the Farmers Almanac website.
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Vegetables
Early—Mid Month: Carrot, Chard, Mustard, Turnip
All Month: Lettuce, Radish, Spinach

Herbs
Borage, Burnet, Caraway, Catnip, Celeriac, Chamomile, Chervil, Chives, Comfrey, Coriander, Cumin, Dill,Fennel, Fenugreek, Lemon Balm, Mexican Mint Marigold, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, Santolina, Winter Savory, Sorrel, Thyme, Yarrow

Fruit: Strawberries

Flower Plants
ajuga, alyssum, bluebonnet, butterfly weed, calendula, candytuft, carnation, cornflower, dianthus, daisy, euryops, forget-me-not, gazania, indian blanket, liatris, nasturtium, ornamental cabbage and kale, pansy, penstemon, petunia, phlox, obedient plant, snapdragon, stock

Flower Seeds
alyssum, bluebonnet, calendula, candytuft, cornflower, daisy, delphinium, hollyhock, larkspur, nasturtium, pansy, petunia, phlox, pinks, california poppy, scabiosa, snapdragon, sweet pea, sweet william, verbena, viola, wildflowers.

Bulbs
agapanthus, allium, alstroemeria, amarcrinum, amaryllis (in containers), anemone, ground orchid, calla, crinum, crocus, daffodil, freesia, spicer lily, ipheion, dutch iris, spuria iris, ixia, snowflake, lily, liriope, monkey grass, muscari, star of bethlehem, rain lily, society garlic, spraxis, aztec lily, watsonia.



How to get free seeds for your first garden, Mother Nature's Network
Garden Planner, The Old Farmer's Almanac
Growing Calendar by Zip Code, Burpee Seeds
Cooperative Extension Service Offices Country-wide
P. Allen Smith GARDEN HOME (Disclaimer: Mr. Smith is my father's cousin. I'd think he and his website was just as fabulous if he wasn't. Promise.)
Garden Planner, Online Trial Version
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, United States Department of Agriculture
17 Easy-to-start seeds for beginner gardeners, Mother Nature's Network

Tasks and planting guides courtesy of the Garden Guide for Austin & Vicinity, published by the Travis County Master Gardener Association, copyright 2000-2002, via Central Texas Gardener


The Seasonal Plate | What to Eat in November

NEW: This seasonal eating guide for the month of November has been updated to include links to information and recipes for each vegetable, fruit, nut, meat, poultry, and seafood listed. Need a little inspiration for that farmers' market haul? Just follow each link!


Eating in season maximizes nutrients, supports local farming communities, saves money, and even reduces one's carbon footprint, Find out what's in season right now, and follow links to recipes and additional information for each fruit, vegetable, and protein in markets in November. 

Vegetables in season for November


 Fruit and Nuts



Meat

duck + lamb + partridge + pheasant + quail + rabbit + venison


 Seafood



And a couple of great links, with maps, charts, and interactive resources, to keep yourself, and those you love, eating well:

·         Benefits of Eating Seasonally

Chicken & Andouille Gumbo Class, Dinner, Brewery Tour
Maggie Perkins | Kitchen Underground | Hops & Grain


First you make a roux….. 

A little magic, a little science, a little art, gumbo is a Creole cook’s expression of affection; a one pot love affair for friends and family, alike.


There are as many types of gumbo as there are Thibodeaux in Louisiana, but the one you’ll find most often on a Cajun-country stove is Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo. Often considered a "beginners gumbo", it's the gumbo most cooks cut their culinary teeth on, however it's best undertaken with the assistance of a good recipe, and an understanding of ingredients and procedures.

Join me, in partnership with Kitchen Underground, this Monday, November 9, 2015, for an informative tour of local brewery Hops & Grain, followed by an instructional, interactive cooking class, breaking down the basic bones of this iconic dish, beginning with the mighty and indispensable ROUX. We'll talk gumbo history, differences in Creole and Cajun cuisine, other types of gumbo, and ratios, processes ,and proven combinations of ingredients that can be adopted for any type of meat or vegetable gumbo.


You’ll be as entertained as you are enlightened by hints, tips, family secrets, and raucous stories about life in Bayou Country while feasting on traditional Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo and rice, with a chunk of bread perfect for "sopping" every last drop. We'll finish this feast with the best dessert THAT side of the Mississippi—Bread Pudding and Hard Sauce with a Texas-brewed twist.

Come join us, cher, it’s going to be a BIG TIME. We're going to laissez les bon temps rouler!

The Hops & Grain tasting room, featuring award-winning craft beer for purchase will be open during class!


Gumbo Class, Dinner, and Brewery Tour
Tickets available here
Monday, November 9
6:00-8:00 pm

Class will be held at Hops & Grain Brewery. All class participants must be 21+.


Once you have mastered this classic, look for upcoming gumbo recipes on Notes from Maggie's Farm including Gumbo Z'herbes (Greens Gumbo) with Smoked Pork Necks, Fingerling Potato & Onion Gumbo with Ham Shanks, Fresh Pea and Tasso Gumbo, Vegetable Gumbo for Vegetarians and Vegans, Creole Seafood Gumbo, Wild Game Gumbo, Smoked Turkey Gumbo, Oyster and Mirliton Gumbo, Duck and Sausage Gumbo, and more.

It's Gumbo weather, y'all. Let's get down to delicious business.


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