November brings with it a hush across our gardens. The last of the autumn colour drifts down, the air carries that unmistakable smoky tang, and frost can etch the lawn on early mornings. It might be tempting to hang up the tools until spring, but this month is full of quiet, purposeful November gardening jobs that pave the way for winter and set the stage for next year’s abundance.
One of the most satisfying jobs is planting spring bulbs. Tulips, daffodils, alliums and hyacinths can all go in now, while the soil is still workable. The simplest method is to take a trowel or bulb planter, dig a hole about three times as deep as the bulb itself, and drop it in, pointy end upwards. Tulips like to be set deeper – at least 20 centimetres – while daffodils are happy at around 10 to 15. For naturalistic drifts, scatter the bulbs by hand across a bed or lawn, then plant them where they land. Tuck them in with soil and a dash of grit if the ground is heavy clay, which helps with drainage. Come March and April, they’ll repay the effort tenfold.
The vegetable plot still has its share of work to do. Leeks, kale and Brussels sprouts will stand happily through frosts, but it’s wise to lift root crops such as carrots, beetroot and celeriac before the soil turns too sticky. Once out, they can be stored in boxes of damp sand in a cool shed, where they will keep for months.
More November Gardening Jobs
Late November is the prime time for planting out new bare-root raspberries, currants and gooseberry canes. For existing plants, prune red and white currants by cutting back old stems to a low framework, and tie in summer raspberry canes neatly to wires to stop them whipping in the wind. A thick mulch of compost or leaf mould spread around the base will keep the soil moist and feed the roots over winter.
If you’ve been thinking about planting a tree in your garden, now is the perfect time of year to be doing that. From about mid-November through to March, bare root trees and hedging plants are available from most garden centres. Bare root trees offer much better value than pot grown varieties, being simply lifted straight from the ground while dormant ready for planting in a new location. A good tree for winter interest is the Paper Bark Maple; as its name suggests, the bark peels off the tree and it has a very attractive cinnamon-coloured stem.
Other November gardening jobs involve lawn care. Rake away fallen leaves to prevent bare patches, and if the ground is not too wet, spike the turf with a garden fork to improve drainage. Where moss is a problem, brushing in a sandy top-dressing mixed with compost will open up the surface. Mowing should be avoided once frosts set in, but edging the borders neatly gives everything a cared-for look through the darker months.
In borders, many perennials can be cut back once their stems have collapsed, but leaving seed heads of plants like echinacea, teasel and allium provides both winter interest and valuable food for birds. A thick mulch spread across flowerbeds will not only insulate the soil but also keep weeds suppressed until spring. Late-flowering plants with dry, hollow stems such as heleniums, rudbekias, asters, verbena bonariensis and all ornamental grasses are particularly good to retain until new growth starts in spring. However, anything that is not standing without support should be removed and composted. This is particularly important if the stems are wet, soggy and falling over the crowns of the plant as it can cause rot. Cut right back to the base of the plant and remove all the soggy summer’s growth to let in air and prevent fungal problems.
Dahlias will flower until the first frosts, when the top growth turns black. If you have a cold, damp garden, to get dahlias through the winter it’s safest to cut back the top growth and store just the tubers in a dark, frost-free place until planting out again next year. In recent years I’ve left my dahlias in-situ all winter with a thick layer of mulch on top and they have survived. But I realise this is a risky strategy!
If all this sounds like too much work, contact us to find out how we can help you keep your garden looking good, even in winter.