Gardening in November
Gardening in November: Key Jobs and Seasonal Tips
November is the definitive gateway to winter, bringing shorter, darker days, the first hard cold snaps, and a relentless fall of leaves. While overall growth slows considerably, it remains a vital month for protection work, ensuring your plants survive the cold, and for the key structural task of planting bare-root trees and shrubs. The most important gardening jobs in November focus on security and preparation. By prioritising gardening in November, you can ensure your garden is safely tucked up, successfully completing what gardening jobs to do in November before the deep winter freeze.
What to Do in the Garden in November
The focus in November shifts significantly from planting bulbs to active protection against the threat of frost and the continuous clearing of heavy leaf fall. Crucially, this is the prime window for planting bare-root trees, roses, and hedges. Essential gardening tasks November include insulating sensitive pots, thoroughly clearing garden ponds of debris, and tidying up borders. Completing these late November gardening jobs now ensures both plant survival and a head start for spring.
Flowers & Borders
Lift and store any remaining tender perennials, such as dahlias and cannas, if you haven't already. Apply a thick layer of mulch (like compost or bark chips) over perennial borders to shield the roots from damaging frost. Plant winter bedding plants, including pansies, violas, and wallflowers, to provide much-needed colour. You can continue planting tulip bulbs right now, provided the ground is not frozen solid. These cover key November flower planting activities and ideas for winter bedding plants.
Fruit & Vegetables
Clear all old or spent vegetable plants from the beds and rough-dig the soil over to expose pest eggs to the frost. Harvest root vegetables like parsnips, leeks, and cabbages, which often sweeten nicely after a frost. Protect your brassicas with fine netting to deter hungry pigeons. Plant overwintering garlic and autumn onion sets, provided the soil is not waterlogged or frozen. This aligns with harvesting vegetables in November and the few vegetables to grow in November.
Lawns & Hedges
Rake fallen leaves from lawns regularly to prevent the grass from being smothered and to discourage fungal diseases. Avoid mowing unless absolutely necessary, as grass growth is now minimal. Give deciduous hedges a very light trimming to tidy them before birds settle down for winter nesting. Check for any wind damage and secure loose hedge stakes. These actions are core to both effective November lawn care and general hedge maintenance in November
Trees & Shrubs
November is the absolute best month for planting bare-root trees, roses, and hedging while they are dormant. Now is the ideal, non-bleeding time to prune specific trees like acers (maples) and birches. Collect all fallen leaves and store them to start the process of making high-quality leaf mould. Inspect all supports and stakes on young trees and shrubs, tightening ties after the autumn gales. Queries such as planting bare-root trees in November or suitable shrubs for November gardening focus on these timely tasks.
Wildlife & Sustainability Tips
Ensure you are providing unfrozen water daily for birds and increase the amount of high-energy feed, such as fat balls and seeds. Do not disturb log piles or leaf heaps, as hedgehogs may have chosen these spots for hibernation. Rake leaves from high-value areas like lawns but intentionally leave some in borders to provide essential shelter for beneficial insects. Reuse all fallen leaves for either composting or creating leaf mould. This supports wildlife gardening November and sustainable garden jobs November.
Quick Checklist for November
- Plant bare-root roses, trees, and hedging.
- Harvest parsnips, leeks, and late brassicas.
- Protect all pots, taps, and tender plants from frost.
- Clear leaves from lawns and garden paths.
- Sow a tray of winter salads or microgreens indoors.
- Feed birds with high-energy food and provide clean water.
- Net ponds and set aside collected leaves for leaf mould.
This section serves as a condensed guide targeting November gardening checklist and essential November gardening tasks UK.
FAQs: Gardening in November
The focus should be on protection (mulching, insulating), planting bare-root stock, and clearing heavy leaf fall from lawns and ponds.
Yes, you can continue to plant tulips, though it is the last chance. Other spring bulbs should ideally have been planted in October.
Hardy crops like garlic, autumn onion sets, and broad beans can still be planted if the soil is workable.
November is the best month for planting bare-root trees, roses, and hedges while they are fully dormant.
Bring them indoors or into a frost-free greenhouse. Reduce watering, and if outside, cover them with horticultural fleece and raise pots onto feet.
