What to do during November in your garden and greenhouse.
Your monthly gardening checklists
Flowers
- Plant tulip bulbs in pots and borders, covering them with at least twice their depth of soil or compost
- Lift dahlia tubers after the first frost, clean them off and store in dry compost in a cool, frost-proof place
- Send off for seed catalogues and start planning what to grow next year
- Plant bare-root hedging, roses, trees and shrubs, before the weather turns really cold
- Clear faded sweet peas, morning glory, thunbergia and other annual climbers from their supports
- Cut down faded perennials that are looking tatty, then mulch the surrounding soil with garden compost
- Plant a Japanese maple in a pot and place in a sheltered spot in semi-shade
- Gather up and bin the fallen leaves of roses affected by blackspot, so they don't carry the disease over to next year
- Move containers of alpine plants under cover to shelter them from winter rain
- Protect plants that are borderline hardy, such as agapanthus, with a thick mulch of straw or garden compost
- Replenish gravel mulch around alpines to keep the foliage clear of damp soil, which can cause rotting
- Put stem protection guards around young trees and shrubs, if rabbits are a problem
- Sow seeds from berry-laden trees and shrubs
On the forum: share your growing tips with other gardeners and ask for advice
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Fruit and veg
- Take hardwood cuttings from healthy fruit bushes, including currants, blueberries and gooseberries
- Use cloches to protect winter peas, beans and salads, but leave the ends open as good ventilation is vital
- Prune autumn-fruiting raspberries to the ground after harvesting
- Plant garlic, shallots and onions in free-draining soil or raised beds, then cover with fleece
- Prune fruit bushes once dormant, including blackcurrants, redcurrants, whitecurrants and gooseberries
- Support top-heavy Brussels sprouts with sturdy canes, and pile earth up around the stems for extra stability
- Cut down Jerusalem artichokes, then dig up and store the tubers in a bucket of dry compost
- Put netting over cabbages, kale and other hardy brassicas to protect them from pigeons
- Plant bare-root fruit trees, bushes and canes, as long as the ground isn't too wet
- Check stored crops for signs of rot or deterioration
- Lift and pot up chicory roots to force in the dark
- Tidy up strawberry beds, cutting back old foliage and congested runners and removing any weeds
On the forum: which fruit and veg varieties are you growing?
Greenhouse
- Insulate the greenhouse walls and roof with bubble polythene
- Make sure all tender plants are safely under cover and kept frost free
- Propagate perennials, including phlox, oriental poppies and verbascums, by taking root cuttings
- Sow leafy crops such as rocket into small seed trays on a warm sunny windowsill, for winter pickings
- Check greenhouse plants regularly for overwintering pests
- Scrub down greenhouse staging, glazing and the framework with disinfectant
- Water indoor pots of spring bulbs frequently so they never dry out
- Wash out all empty pots and trays and store neatly under greenhouse staging, ready for use in spring
- Bring potted herbs, such as parley and chives, indoors to continue cropping into winter
- Monitor greenhouse temperatures with a max-min thermometer and turn on heating if needed
- Avoid splashing foliage when watering, as it will dry slowly in cool weather and fungal diseases may set in
- Clear out faded tomato and cucumber plants from the greenhouse and add to the compost heap
- Give houseplants extra humidity to combat the drying effects of central heating
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Garden maintenance
- Check bonfires carefully before lighting to make sure no hedgehogs or other wildlife are sheltering inside
- Continue to mow the lawn in mild spells if the grass is still growing, but raise the height of the blades
- Collect fallen leaves and place in bin bags, then leave to decompose into leaf mould
- Look after garden wildlife as winter approaches, by providing additional food and shelter
- Move worm compost bins under cover for the winter
- Chop up any faded bedding plants, annuals and old crops, and add to the compost bin
- Start pruning free-standing apple and pear trees once dormant, to control their size and encourage fruiting
- Repair fences and trellis now they're becoming free of foliage
- Remove pond pumps and fountains to prevent ice damage when temperatures fall below freezing
- Wrap bubble polythene or hessian around pots to protect from frost damage and to insulate vulnerable plant roots
- Put waterproof covers over any garden furniture that you can't take indoors over winter
- Wrap insulating foam around outdoor taps and pipes
- Clean out and scrub bird feeders regularly to maintain hygiene
On the forum: join in the discussion, share your wisdom and ask for help
Nandina domestica or sacred bamboo is an ideal container specimen plant. Green foliage changes to fiery hues of orange and red towards winters, with white spring blossom later forming red berries.
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