November is the month the garden comes to rest. The colours fade, the first hoarfrost settles on the beds in the morning, and there's less and less to do. What's left is a kind of tender tucking-in: harvest what remains, shelter what's tender, and get everything ready so the garden and its wildlife come through the winter well.
November runs roughly from CW 45 to 48.
The last harvest outdoors
The garden is still giving, even now. The hardy winter crops shrug off the cold, and many of them actually taste better once the first frosts have hit.
Brussels sprouts and kale stand right through the winter, along with leeks, parsnips, salsify and tough little lamb's lettuce. Just harvest as you need it, on a frost-free day.
Planting and protecting
As long as the ground isn't frozen solid, you can carry on planting bare-root shrubs, trees and roses. But above all, now it's about protection.
The last flower bulbs for tulips can still go in the ground too, as long as it isn't frozen. After that, planting season is over.
November teaches you to let go. The garden shows you how, and you're welcome to follow its lead.
Putting the tools and equipment away for winter
Before the hard frosts arrive, it's the equipment's turn. Drain the water pipes, hoses and rain barrel, or the freezing water will split them open. Clean your spade, hoe and secateurs, sharpen the blades and rub a little oil into any bare metal. Empty and clean the lawnmower one last time before you put it away. That way, come spring you'll find ready-to-use tools instead of rust and headaches.
The last round for the wildlife
A tidy garden is a poor garden for wildlife. Leave spent perennials with their seed heads standing, they're winter food and cover, and pile up leaves and brushwood in a quiet corner.
Now's the time to start feeding the birds, too. Hang the feeders somewhere the cats can't reach and put out water. Clean out the nest boxes so they're ready to move into again come spring.
Your November in brief
- HarvestPick Brussels sprouts, kale, leeks and lamb's lettuce fresh as you need them.
- ProtectMound up the roses, cover perennials with brushwood, wrap the pots.
- PlantSet out bare-root shrubs and the last tulips while the ground is still open.
- Winterproof the kitDrain the water pipes, clean and oil the tools.
- Care for the wildlifeStart winter feeding, clean the nest boxes, leave the leaf piles be.
- Tidy in moderationCover the beds, but deliberately leave seed heads and wild corners standing.
Häufige Fragen
Can I still plant in November?
Yes, as long as the ground isn't frozen solid. Bare-root fruit trees, shrubs and roses, plus the last of the flower bulbs, will still take root. The planting season is only over once the soil has frozen hard.
How do I protect potted plants from frost?
Push the pots up against the house wall, stand them on wooden feet or polystyrene so the cold can't reach them from below, and wrap the container in hessian or fleece. Tender species move indoors altogether, into frost-free winter quarters.
Should I tidy the garden completely?
Better not to. Spent perennials, seed heads and piles of leaves and brushwood are important winter shelters and food sources for insects, hedgehogs and birds. A garden left a little untidy on purpose is the liveliest one in winter.
Your November at a glance
November is a quiet, almost reflective walk through the garden. Harvest the hardy winter crops, protect what's tender, put the equipment away for the season, and deliberately leave a little wildness standing for the animals. After that the garden gets to sleep, and you get to sit back.
In Gartenkern you jot down what you've protected and where you've tucked which pots away for winter, and set yourself reminders for spring. Next year you'll know exactly which rose 'New Dawn' came through the winter well, and when the first hoarfrost arrived. That way your garden keeps you company even through the quiet season.
