Just because things are getting colder does not mean that all the garden jobs are done for the year. There is plenty that you can do in the month of November. Here are just a few of the jobs you might want to get on with:
Jobs in the Vegetable Garden:
- Provide support for top-heavy brassicas to make sure the roots are firm and secure and cannot be wrenched by heavy winds as we move deeper into winter.
- Harvest parsnips after they have been sweetened by the first frost.
- Plant rhubarb and/or asparagus crowns in a perennial bed.
- Divide mature rhubarb plants.
- Plant garlic bulbs in a well-prepared area any time from late-October-January.
Jobs in the Fruit Garden/Orchard:
- Plant bare-root raspberry canes as soon as they are in the dormant season.
- Currant bushes and other fruit bushes can also be planted in November.
- Tidy up strawberry plants, remove dead leaves and straggly runners.
- Prune apple and pear trees but NOT stone fruit trees over the dormant period once the leaves have fallen.
- You may wish to remove top netting from fruit cages before they sag under snow.
Jobs in the Flower Garden:
- There is still time to plant daffodil, tulip and other spring bulbs that will create a lovely display next year.
- Plant bare-root roses between November and March.
- Plant out spring bedding displays of pansies, primulas and violas.
- Plant up hyacinth bulbs in a terracotta pots for charming displays next year.
- Cut back the dying foliage of herbaceous perennials to maintain their health.
Jobs in the Greenhouse or Polytunnel:
- Cut back and remove vines and other plants that will not survive over the winter.
- Make any repairs and tidy up before bad weather really sets in.
- Ensure good ventilation for winter crops still in active growth under cover and remember to water less and lightly but do not let things dry out too much.
- Add extra insulation, fleece or cloches to protect plants in your tunnel or greenhouse from intense cold.
- Consider solar lights to allow you to garden in your tunnel or greenhouse after dark when there is little daylight to enjoy.
General Garden Jobs:
- Clear fallen leaves and bag up to create leaf mould or to use as mulch in more valuable locations where they can be of the most use.
- Prune deciduous trees and shrubs and use biomass around the garden.
- Build a new compost heap or enhance your old one.
- Spread organic matter on vacated beds to prepare them for next year.
- Plant evergreen shrubs and conifers.