Your guide to November gardening

November brings the true onset of winter in the garden. You might start to notice a distinct chill in the air, and towards the end of the month the first few frosts might start to appear. Despite growth slowing down drastically, there are still tasks to do in the garden to ensure your garden is ready for the cold and harsh months ahead, ready to burst back into life in spring. 

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What to Sow or Plant

Outdoor sowing for cropping this year is finished now, but November is still a valuable planting month for hardy varieties ready for next year. 

Vegetables: Plant garlic, onions, and shallots if you haven’t already. Sow broad beans for an early spring crop. If you have a greenhouse or cold frame, sow winter salads and mustard greens. 

Flowers: Tulips should go in this month for the best display next spring. 

Shrubs: Continue planting bare-root roses, trees, and hedging plants while the soil is still workable. Divide and replant perennials if the ground isn’t frozen. 

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Harvesting This Month 

Vegetables: Leeks, parsnips, kale, brussels sprouts, cabbages, and stored root crops like carrots, beets, and potatoes. 

Fruit: The last of the apples and pears can be stored; medlars are ready to ‘blet’ (soften) for jelly-making. 

Ideas for using your harvest: 

• Make hearty soups and stews with leeks and root vegetables. 

• Roast parsnips and sprouts with honey and thyme for winter feasts. 

• Bottle or freeze apples and pears to extend the taste of autumn. 

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Garden Maintenance 

Protect from frost: Tender plants such as citrus trees and herbs need to be covered of moved indoors. Dahlia foliage needs to be cut right back and the tubers dug out of the ground. They should be stored in straw or wood shavings somewhere cool and dry such as a shed or garage. 

Tidy and compost: Continue raking leaves and adding them to your compost (keeping in your green to brown compost ratio, see our blog post on compost for more details), but leave some piles in quiet corners for wildlife. 

Soil care: Spread a thick layer of compost or manure over empty beds, you can leave the worms to pull it in over winter, or you can dig it in yourself. 

Tools and equipment: This is a great time to clean, oil, sharpen and repair garden tools. 

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Seasonal Highlights 

Bare-root season begins: Ideal time for planting trees, roses, and hedging while they’re dormant. 

Winter colour: Look out for hellebores, winter jasmine, and berries on holly. 

Wildlife care: Put up bird feeders, clean bird baths, and leave seed heads for shelter and food. 

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Final Tip of the Month 

Embrace the calm. November is the gardener’s time to slow down, pause, plan, and protect. Take stock of what thrived and use it to consider next year’s planting schemes. Enjoy the small tasks that keep your garden alive through winter’s rest, such as stacking logs, mulching soil and feeding birds. 

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