It’s hard to believe that the end of Daylight Savings Time is already here. It seems like just yesterday that we were springing forward. Now it’s dark by the time I get home from work, so my time is really limited in the garden. Fortunately there isn’t much on my to do list other than a few final tasks before winter.

* With bitter winter storms coming, don't wait until one is predicted to protect your evergreens. Take the time to complete this task now. Your trees may need to be shielded from more than just wind and snow: Use burlap to act as a wind barrier for evergreens located near a road that will get salt sprayed.

* Wait to apply winter mulch until the ground is frozen.

* Keep the mulch away from tree trunks and plant crowns to prevent rodents from damaging them.

* Aerate existing lawns to improve root development and drainage.

* Cut back asparagus fronds after they turn brown from a hard freeze.

* Fall is a great time for planting trees.

*Detach watering hoses from outdoor spigots. Drain them, roll them up and store in a dry location. If your outdoor water is on a separate system from your indoor pipes, shut it off and then turn the faucet on until all the water runs out. Place an insulating foam cover over the spigot to keep ice from cracking the metal.

* Cover strawberries with a straw mulch. Wait to mulch your beds until after the first hard freeze, when the soil is frozen to a depth of about 1/2 inch.

* Remove saucers from under terra cotta containers on surfaces where they won't leave a stain. This will help keep the pots dry. Dry pots are less likely to crack and the soil will hold less moisture. Soggy soil in winter can lead to root rot. Keep in mind that plants don't need as much water during this time.

* Plant Oriental and Asiatic lily bulbs in late fall for showy blooms next spring. If the ground is already frozen in your area, pot the bulbs up in containers; store them in locations where they will stay cool, dry and won’t freeze; and then plant the bulbs next spring. Lily bulbs never really go dormant so be gentle in handling them.

* Cut back on water and stop feeding houseplants. As the days become shorter your plants shift from an active growth cycle so they take up less moisture and don't require additional nutrients.

* Make sure your greenhouse heaters are in working order. In many parts of the country a simple electrical oscillating space heater will do the trick, but if your daytime temperatures fall below freezing you may want to look into something more powerful.

* As long as the ground is not frozen, you can still plant daffodil bulbs.

* Are you getting a live Christmas tree this year? Dig the hole now, before the ground freezes. Keep the garden soil you removed from the hole in an area where it won't freeze or wash away.

* Make sure your climbing roses are tied securely to their supports to prevent wind damage this winter.

Welcoming Birds for the Winter---Chickadees Are Cold Weather Machines.

Though any bird that survives winter in the North amazes those of us that depend on furnaces and warm blankets, the black-capped chickadee may be the most incredible of all winter survivors.

Black-capped Chickadees have a wonderful assortment of adaptations for the winter. Carefully hidden food items, dense winter coats, specially selected winter roost cavities and perhaps most remarkable of all, the ability to go into nightly hypothermia, thus conserving large amounts of energy, greatly increases the chances of survival. The ability to go into regulated hypothermia actually lowers the chickadee’s body temperature in a controlled manner, down to about 12 or 15 degrees (F.) below their normal daytime temperature of 108 degrees (F.). This remarkable adaptation allows the bird to conserve almost 25 percent of its hourly metabolic expenditure when the outside temperature is at freezing. The lower the outside temperature, the more energy conserved, Smith found.

Chickadees are not the suburban wimps that some people think they are. For three winters I kept track of 576 black-capped chickadees and found that every winter morning chickadees had to replace the fat they used overnight. As the small birds struggled against starvation and stinging cold, they earned my respect, too. They are tough survivors that live close to the edge of life.

My signature plants for this week are Winterberry Holly Berry Nice® Ilex verticillata.

Vivid red berries are displayed beginning in early winter. Good resistance to mildew. Makes an excellent decorative cut branch in early winter. Use Jim Dandy as the male to induce berry set. Yellow to purple tinged fall color.

According to the Humane Society of America Ilex berries can be toxic to pets. This is means that the plants are generally identified as having the capability for producing a toxic reaction. Adaptable to wet soils, does well in light and heavy soils. First class pick for planting in saturated areas. Best if pruned in late fall or early spring. No pruning really necessary unless removing dead/broken branches. Likes high moisture and is native to swampy and boggy areas. Deciduous shrub. Fertilize in early spring by applying a slow release fertilizer specialized for trees and shrubs. Follow the label for recommended rates of application. Hardy to -40F.

Two new selections of Winterberry Holly with superior fruit set and berry retention. Both BERRY HEAVY and BERRY NICE produce copious amounts of bright red berries to be enjoyed in fall and winter. Brighten up the winter landscape with a mass planting of these varieties. The berries can also be cut for use in floral arrangements. BERRY NICE is also noteworthy for its improved mildew resistance. Use Jim Dandy as the male pollinator for both of these varieties. To produce berries a female and male plant are required. Fruit is not edible. Great for use in the landscape, excellent winter interest. Beautiful for cuts to create holiday displays. Use in groupings and mass plantings, as perennial or shrub border plants. Good as specimens, screens, or hedges. This plant is available at your local garden center.

Chrysanthemums---Chrysanthemums, the quintessential autumn flower, are a very large diverse group with various species tracing back to areas of China, Japan, northern Africa, and southern Europe. Early chrysanthemums were probably small yellow daisy-like flowers. They are members of Asteraceae or aster family (formerly Composite family).

Like all members of the aster family, a flower is actually composed of numerous tiny individual flowers clustered together into a “head.” The individual flowers are either ray type with a petal or disc type without a petal. By thinking of a daisy (or sunflower), which is made up of ray flowers on the edge and disc flowers in the center, it is easy to understand this concept.

Chrysanthemums have been cultivated for thousands of years. Chinese writings from the 15th Century describe chrysanthemum cultivation. Pottery from that era depicts the flowers. The Chinese believed the plant had the power of life.

The plant has been grown in Japan since the 8th Century. The chrysanthemum is so highly revered in Japan that a single flowered chrysanthemum is the Emperor’s symbol. The flower is often incorporated into the crests of noble families. National Chrysanthemum Day, also called Festival of Happiness, celebrates the plant’s significance in Japan.

Linneaus, botanist who invented the plant classification system, gave the plant its western name, chrysanthemum, from the Greek ‘chrysos’ meaning gold and ‘anthemon’ meaning flower.

Mums were introduced into the United States in the colonial era. Although widely used in modern America, the chrysanthemum is considered the death flower in Europe because of its extensive use on graves.

Chrysanthemum is one of our most commonly cultivated flowers. There are thousands of varieties specially developed for use as cut flowers, hardy landscape plants, and houseplants. Colors range though most shades of yellow, orange, pink, purple, red, and white. A few are bicolored.

The National Chrysanthemum Society recognizes thirteen bloom classes of chrysanthemum. The classes are based on flower form and petal shape. Pompon, single, spider, quill, reflex, and anemone are examples of some of the classes. Cushion mums are not a bloom class but a term for low growing, mounded, early blooming plants. Garden mum is often used to distinguish between hardier mums for outdoor plantings versus greenhouse mums.

Proper siting is extremely important. Garden mums need rich, well-drained soil and full sun. Chrysanthemums should be planted 18 to 36 inches apart depending on the mature size of the plant. Mums are heavy feeders and should be fertilized monthly with 5-10-5, 5-10-10, or 5-20-20. After flower buds develop, fertilization should be stopped.

Mums have a tendency to get tall and leggy if they are not pinched. Beginning in May whenever a new shoot reaches 3 to 4 inches tall, it should be pinched off using the thumb and index finger, leaving 2 to 3 leaves on the shoot. It’s a good idea to fertilize and pinch about once a month. Stop pinching the middle of July so flower buds will develop.

Chrysanthemums are short day plants, which means they need lengthening nights to trigger bloom. In the home garden mother nature does that for us. In the cut flower and greenhouse industry growers shade the plants with a dense black cloth to fool them into blooming out of season.

Chrysanthemums are susceptible to aphids, mites and powdery mildew. Outdoors beneficial insects usually take care of aphids and mites. Powdery mildew may be reduced by maintaining good air circulation around plants.

Frost heaving in poorly drained soil is the primary cause of winter death. When the tops die in late fall cut off the dead stems at the ground line and remove them from the garden. After the ground freezes apply three to four inches of mulch (straw, fluffy leaves, evergreen boughs) to help keep the soil frozen.

Whether you grow them in your yard, purchase them for a sick friend, or enjoy them in a Thanksgiving bouquet the chrysanthemum will brighten your day.

Can I Keep It Through the Winter?---We all have some plant in the garden that we would like to save through the winter. Certain plants are easily maintained, others are more difficult. Let’s look at a few ways to keep those favorite plants alive.

Plants growing in containers: These plants are relatively easy to keep. If you are growing perennial flowers or small woody plants in containers, bring the entire container indoors. Place them in a basement or garage for the winter. The overwintering site should have some light and should stay above freezing all winter. Perennials and woody plants will be dormant during this time, so they won’t need large quantities of light and will need very little water (just enough to keep the root ball slightly moist).

Annual plants: There are some annual plants (grandma’s geranium, purple fountain grass, that herb you just can’t be without) that just seem worth keeping. This can be done couple of different ways.

The entire plant can be dug prior to frost and placed in a container. Once in a container, the plant can be treated like a houseplant, given good light and regular waterings. Annuals react to this treatment in various ways. Some plants may continue to grow and look good, others may maintain a living root system while the top of the plant looks less than desirable. Once spring arrives and the last frost has passed, these plants can be put back into the garden for a quick start.

Many annuals can be kept over winter as stem cuttings. This works well for plants with thicker stems, like geraniums. Take several stem cuttings about 3-4 inches long and stick them in a pot of soil. Keep the soil moist and place the cuttings in bright, but indirect light until they have a chance to form roots. Once they form roots, they can be placed in direct sunlight for good growth. Always take more cuttings than you think you will need, since some of the cuttings may not survive.

Plants that aren’t always fully hardy in our area: There are a few plants in our garden that are not fully hardy in our area. They may survive a milder winter and then die out in a harsher winter. Despite this, we still try to grow them. These plants include butterfly bush (Buddleia species), some species of hydrangea, many roses and some of the mums. After we have had a frost or two, consider a heavy mulching of these plants. The mulch should be several inches thick (up to 10 inches) and should drain well so that the plants do not drown. Surround the base of the plant with a small fence to hold the mulch in place and apply several inches of a light mulch like straw, oak leaves or evergreen boughs. There is no guarantee that this will work every year, but it may extend the life of some of these borderline plants.

My Signature tree for this week is River Birch 'Heritage'---River birch is a handsome ornamental shade tree that adds interesting character to the garden with small, toothed green leaves that flutter in the breeze and silhouettes of slightly leaning and sometimes forked, multiple trunks. The distinctive, peeling bark and pale yellow fall foliage adds to this tree's appeal. Although the flowers are not showy, many songbirds are attracted to the seed capsules, which mature in spring. It is the best birch for warmer areas and is beautiful when planted in groups of 3 to 5.

The cultivar 'Cully' (Heritage), my favorite, is vastly superior to many because it is very resistant to the birch borer, less prone to leaf spots and the bark exfoliates at a younger age. Easily transplanted from a container, it is quick to establish and grow. As the name implies the river birch is excellent for planting near water and can provide erosion control along stream banks and pond edges. Prune in late fall or early winter; spring pruning will cause the plant to "bleed" or extrude sap. In more northerly climates, zone 3 and4, it can be somewhat sensitive to fall planting because it needs a longer time to prepare for winter temperatures than the time frame allows. River birch branches are held closer to the ground and droop gracefully, especially when wet, so in places where clearance is needed they will need to be limbed up by removing the lower branches.

The river birch is so easy going it will practically plant itself. In fact that very thing happened to me once. After laboring over where to plant my newly purchased tree I placed the birch in its 5 gallon container on the spot and walked off promising myself I'd get to it tomorrow. But with springtime being my busiest time of year, tomorrow took a little longer than expected. Well, by the time things slowed down, much to my surprise, it had rooted out of the container and into the soil. My river birch had planted itself. With a little crafty cutting to remove the container, extra soil and a few big hostas, my river birch found a permanent home. Now I don't recommend trying this technique, but today the tree is flourishing and no one would ever guess about its neglected beginning.

Good bedfellows:

• Plantain Lily

• Southern Shield Fern

• Flame Azalea

Heating with Wood Needs Care and Consideration---As people remember last winter’s high energy costs, many people may use this fall as a good time to gather wood for heating the home. Remember that although wood can be a good source of heat, it should be used with caution and proper maintenance should be done to avoid fires and chimney problems. Care should also be taken to ensure that the use of wood is really more efficient and economical for the home than the use of routine heat sources.

When considering the use of wood for heat, I offer the following information and advice: All species of wood has the same Btu (British Thermal Units) per pound of wood; roughly 8600 Btu per pound @ 15% moisture content. As the moisture content goes up in the firewood, the heating value goes down (less Btu's) because more energy (heat) is needed to drive off the moisture in the wood before it will burn. This is why firewood needs to be seasoned at least 6 to 9 months before it is burned. Freshly cut wood is not very efficient for heating use.

The difference in the heating value of different species of trees comes in the density (weight per unit of volume) of the wood species. If comparing two pieces of wood that are of identical size (volume) and moisture content and one is oak and one is cottonwood, the piece of oak firewood will contain more Btu's (heat) in it than the cottonwood because the density of oak is much greater than cottonwood. Oak is a heavier wood than cottonwood, so oak will have more potential energy than cottonwood if the same size piece or stack (volume) of wood is compared.

Therefore, a cord of oak firewood would have 26.5 million Btu's of energy and a cord of cottonwood would have 16.1 million Btu's of energy, because a cord of oak weighs 3800 pounds and a cord of cottonwood weighs 2300 pounds. A cord is a stack of wood that is 4 feet high by 8 feet wide and each of the pieces is 4 feet in length or 4' x 8' x 4' = 128 cubic feet. The variety of wood and total Btu’s should be considered when purchasing and pricing cords of wood.

Amaryllis for Winter Beauty---The amaryllis is well loved for its ability to produce huge blooms indoors in the middle of winter. It is often used as a holiday plant, with the bulbs being available for purchase in late fall.

When buying a bulb, select one that is at least 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Smaller bulbs will not bloom. Larger bulbs (4 inches) produce better, often developing two flower stalks instead of one. Make sure the bulbs are firm and free of soft spots and discoloration.

Plant the bulbs in a container that has drainage holes. The container should be about two inches bigger in diameter than the bulb. The planting mix should drain well; an equal mix of peat and perlite would be suitable. Plant so that about one third of the bulb shows above the soil level. After planting, the planting mix should be thoroughly watered. Keep the mix consistently moist. The mix should not be saturated. Do not water over the nose of the bulb. If water seeps into the bulb, it may cause it to rot.

Keep the bulb in a warm room (70-75F) during rooting and early stalk development. As the flower buds begin to form, reduce temperatures to about 65F to prolong flowering. The bulb should be kept in a well-lighted area. During flowering, the plant is best kept in bright, but indirect light. This will help prolong flowering.

During stalk development, fertilize with a complete fertilizer (one that contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). A liquid fertilizer is easiest to apply since the plant is in a small quantity of potting mix. Follow the label directions that come with the fertilizer you buy. The directions will tell you how much to use. Fertilize about every 2-3 weeks.

With proper care, the plant should be flowering within 6-8 weeks after planting the bulb. Duration of the flowers will be dependent on the temperature and light level in the room where the plant is being kept. As each flower fades, cut it off, so that the plant does not waste energy trying to produce seeds. After all the flowers have faded, remove the entire flower stalk. Do not remove the leaves. They will produce food and strengthen the bulb so that it can flower again next year.

The plant can now be treated like any other houseplant. As warm weather returns, the plant can be placed outdoors. The key to success with the amaryllis is to keep the foliage alive so that it will feed the bulb.

Reflowering the Bulb---In late summer, gradually reduce watering so that the leaves die down. When the leaves have died completely, cut them off. Store the bulb, in its container, in an area with temperatures around 50F for 8-10 weeks. After the 8-10 weeks have elapsed, bring the bulb into a warm room with good light and resume watering.

Pumpkins and Cranberries---Traditional Thanksgiving dinner would not be complete without pumpkins and cranberries, two very easy fruits to grow.

Ninety percent of the pumpkins produced in the United States are grown in a 60 to 90 mile radius of Peoria, Illinois. The vast majority of pumpkin is processed into canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie mix that we buy at the supermarket.

Pumpkins and winter squash are so closely related that they are often grouped together botanically. These vine crops grow best in warm well-drained soils. Farmers contract yearly with the pumpkin processing companies for the crop. Processing pumpkins don’t look like the typical jack-o-lantern pumpkin. They are about the size and shape of a watermelon with a pale creamy orange shell. The interior flesh is the deep orange we expect in canned pumpkin.

Harvest begins in middle August and continues through November. Harvesting is a two-step process. First the pumpkins are pushed into rows with a machine that works like a modified snowplow. Then a mechanical harvester picks up the fruit and throws it into the top of a semi-tractor trainer. Amazingly the pumpkins rarely break.

At the processing plant top quality pumpkins are selected as future seed stock. The rest are washed, mashed and cooked to produce the main ingredient for our holiday deserts.

The cranberry is a native North American fruit cultivated in the United States and Canada. The principal areas of production are Massachusetts on Cape Cod, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Oregon, Washington and Nova Scotia. Wisconsin is the second largest producer of cranberries, but their fruits are not as bright red as Massachusetts’s berries.

Cranberries grow wild on acid-peat soils, usually underlain by sand, with clay hardpan underneath. These areas frequently flood in winter. In addition to wild cranberries, native plants in these sites are sphagnum moss, leatherleaf, sheep laurel, red maple and white cedar.

The development of a cranberry field, or bog, as it is often called, is very expensive. Much capital, knowledge, and experience are required to construct and bring a field to bearing age. Besides specialized soil requirements, an adequate water supply is necessary for flooding the fields at intervals to control insects and to protect the plants from frost.

In autumn the bogs are flooded for harvest. Cranberry scoops rake the berries from the vines along with pieces of vines and leaves. The floating berries are gathered from the water for sorting.

The berries are cleaned by putting them through a separator to blow off the chaff, then moved along a belt where they are hand-sorted by workers who remove defective berries.

The cranberry growers are well organized and market the crop cooperatively. Nearly half of the crop is processed.

When you sit down to this year’s Thanksgiving feast you might want to remember the good things gardens added to your meal.