Tip: Tuck in your beds for the cool season with a two- to three-inch layer of shredded leaf mulch. If your mower doesn’t have mulching capabilities, simply rake leaves into a pile, then run the mower over it a few times. The shredded results will not only look tidier than whole leaves, they’ll also break down more quickly, releasing nutrients that improve soil structure and water retention (among other benefits). Need to acidify your soil? Oak and beech leaves will do the trick.
Dig It: What’s happening this month?
November 3
Fall Open House
Find informative signs sharing details on each of Roots and Shoots nursery’s 200-plus native plants and edibles. Roots and Shoots, 7 Briarcliff Dr. Saturday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. rootsandshootsnursery.com
November 4
Fall Garden Tour
This year, the Charleston Horticultural Society’s annual tour ventures through an eclectic variety of gardens in The Crescent and South Windermere neighborhoods. Locations vary. Sunday, 1-4 p.m. $35; $30 member. chashortsoc.org
November 10
Hort Harvest Symposium
Join in on a day of talks and demos, including kids programming and a sneak peek at Magnolia’s new Enchanted Forest Children’s Garden. Admission to the plant sale and exhibit area is free, while the symposium requires garden admission. Magnolia Plantation & Gardens, 3550 Ashley River Rd. Saturday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. $20; $10 ages six-12; free for child under six. magnoliaplantation.com/horticulture
