Jobs to do in the garden in November
November marks the start of winter and the time when any remaining colour in the garden begins to fade. Now is the time to start preparing for next year’s growing season and it’s still a good time for planting all hardy plants too.
Plant
• Finish planting spring flowering bulbs such as allium, crocus and narcissi
• Blackberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries and raspberries can be planted too in well prepared soil with plenty of compost
• Sow broad beans, garlic and shallots
• Bare rooted hedging, shrubs and trees can also be planted.
Prune
• Remove any growth in the centre of gooseberry bushes and prune
• Hydrangeas can be pruned, but make sure you don’t cut them too low, or they may not produce many flowers next year
• Established apple and pear trees can also be pruned. Ensure any branches, crossing or rubbing are removed because open wounds will encourage disease
• Once ivy has finished flowering and fruiting you can trim it back
• Roses should be cut back by around half to protect them from the wind
• Once dahlia stems have blackened from the frost, cut them to 10 centimetres from the ground
• Cut back less hardy perennials such as Pentstemons and Fuchsias
• Oriental grasses and bamboo can also be cut back.
Lawn care
• Try to keep off the lawn when it is wet or frozen as this can be damaging
• Rake up fallen leaves regularly otherwise they may encourage fungal disease and bare patches
• Continue to scarify and spike the lawn to improve drainage and aeration
• Apply an autumn feed and moss killer if you didn’t do this last month
• Weather permitting, you can lay new turf and if you are planning to sow or lay a new lawn next spring you still have time to prepare the ground.
Other
• Now is a good time to clear out your greenhouse and give pots, trays and tools a clean
• Raise any containers, where possible, off the ground either on tiles or bricks to help stop them from becoming waterlogged. If you have terracotta pots move them somewhere milder as they could shatter if they aren’t frost-proof
• Check any fruit you may have stored and throw out any that show signs of rot
• Protect Brussels sprouts and cabbages from birds by covering them with netting
• You can continue to harvest carrots, leeks and sprouts. Parsnips can be harvested once there has been a frost
• Try to keep your houseplants cool and moist as they will be prone to drying out if you have the heating on in the house
• Celeriac can be harvested now too
• It is also time to lift and divide rhubarb crowns.