As winter approaches, many gardeners might assume their outdoor duties are winding down, but one horticultural expert insists November represents one of the busiest and most crucial periods in the gardening calendar.
Helena Jones, head of commercial at Hedges Direct Limited, has identified six essential tasks that, if completed this month, can significantly impact your garden's health and appearance throughout the coming year.
Lawn care and maintenance
November presents several important opportunities for lawn care that will strengthen your grass for the challenging winter months ahead.
Aerate your lawn before winter properly sets in to improve drainage, especially if your garden tends to suffer from waterlogging. The simplest method involves repeatedly spiking the lawn deeply with a garden fork, while larger areas might benefit from using an aerating machine. Brushing sand into the created holes will help extend the benefits.
If you're still mowing due to mild autumn weather, raise your mower blades to a higher setting than you used during summer months. Longer grass supports better photosynthesis and encourages deeper root growth, both essential for withstanding winter conditions.
Take advantage of mild, dry days to lay new turf, as November's typically wet weather provides natural irrigation. Avoid this task during very wet or frosty conditions.
While clearing leaves might feel endless, regular removal from lawns and paved areas prevents smothering. Rather than discarding them entirely, transfer leaves to your flower beds where they'll act as insulation against freezing temperatures and provide nesting material for wildlife.
Planting and propagation opportunities
Contrary to popular belief, November offers excellent planting opportunities that can yield impressive results next year.
Now is the ideal time to sow hardy annual flower seeds, which will develop into larger, earlier-flowering plants compared to spring sowings. Recommended varieties for November sowing include:
- Ammi majus (bishop's weed) with delicate white clusters
- Nigella damascena (love-in-a-mist) featuring intricate foliage
- Papaver rhoeas (field poppy) with bright scarlet blooms
- Centaurea cyanus (cornflower) producing vivid blue flowers
When it comes to bulbs, tulips are the final spring-flowering variety to plant in November. Delaying their planting helps avoid tulip fire disease spores that circulate earlier in autumn.
November also marks the beginning of the bare-root planting season. These plants, grown in open ground then dug up during dormancy, offer an affordable alternative to container-grown specimens and typically establish more rapidly.
Plant bare-root shrubs and roses this month to give roots time to strengthen before supporting spring growth. Prepare sites thoroughly by removing weeds, digging adequate trenches, and avoiding waterlogged conditions during planting.
Pruning and pest management
While major pruning should ideally conclude by late summer, November welcomes the start of the renovation pruning season for overgrown hedges.
Conduct hard pruning during dormancy (November to March) to minimise sap loss from cuts. Always research your specific hedging plants first, but beech, hawthorn, hornbeam, yew, holly, and shrubby honeysuckle typically respond well to this treatment. Many deciduous shrubs like Cotinus, Forsythia, and Syringa can also undergo hard pruning during this period.
Vigilance against pests and diseases remains crucial throughout November. Toadstools frequently appear on lawns but generally cause no harm beyond potential concerns for households with children.
Watch for grey mould on soft fruit and plants, which presents as fuzzy mould and often proves fatal. Prevention through prompt removal of dead plant material and ensuring good ventilation offers the best defence.
Check chrysanthemums for white rust, a fungal disease causing yellowing leaves and white pustules beneath foliage. Remove affected leaves immediately, and in severe cases, destroy entire plants to prevent spread.
Be alert for brown rots on dormant perennials, another fungal issue where plant destruction usually becomes necessary. Consider installing protective guards around vulnerable shrubs and trees to deter chewing by rabbits, squirrels, and deer.
Jones emphasises that the effort invested now pays substantial dividends next year, making November an unexpectedly active and rewarding month for dedicated gardeners across the UK.
