Garden tasks for November: never overlook these crucial activities to complete immediately
Preparing Your Garden for Winter: Top Tasks for November
As autumn begins to take hold, it's time to focus on tasks that will help protect your garden through the winter months, improve spring growth, and enhance productivity and aesthetics into the colder season. Here are some of the best gardening jobs to focus on in November:
1. Leaf Removal from Lawns
Remove leaves from your lawn to prevent disease caused by soggy, light-blocking leaf mats. Rake leaves off your lawn and add them to your compost or shred and dig them into your vegetable beds.
2. Aerating the Lawn
Aerate your lawn to relieve soil compaction and thatch buildup, allowing water, oxygen, and nutrients to reach grassroots more easily.
3. Applying Winter Fertilizer
Apply winter fertilizer to strengthen grass roots and provide energy for spring recovery. While it's best applied by mid-October, it's still relevant in November.
4. Weed Removal
Remove weeds before seeds are set to reduce future weed problems. Apply weed-killing treatments to roots to prevent regrowth.
5. Reseeding and Repairing Lawn Bare Spots
Cooler soil and temperatures favour seed germination and turf establishment before winter, making November the perfect time to reseed and repair any bare spots in your lawn.
6. Pruning and Deadheading Perennials and Herbs
Pruning and deadheading perennials and herbs will tidy up your plants and encourage regrowth next year.
7. Mulching Garden Beds
Mulch your garden beds with shredded leaves, straw, or wood chips to protect the soil and conserve moisture over winter.
8. Removing Debris and Dead Plant Material
Remove any debris and dead plant material left over from storms or the growing season to reduce disease and pest habitats.
9. Checking and Watering Perennial Plants and Potted Plants
Check and water your perennial plants and potted plants as needed to maintain their health through fall moisture fluctuations.
10. Planting Autumn/Winter Plants
Consider planting autumn/winter plants such as anemones, cyclamen, pansies, asters, sedums, and ornamental grasses to brighten your garden and extend the growing season.
11. Preparing Garden Structures
Prepare garden structures like trellises to reduce overcrowding and improve vertical plant growth and light exposure for crops going into the next season.
12. Planning for Winter Crops or Activities
Start planning or experimenting with winter crops or activities, like growing gourmet mushrooms indoors as an off-season garden project.
In addition, don't forget to attend to your fruit trees to help them get through winter in good shape. This includes checking and watering them as needed, and adding a layer of organic mulch around the base of fruit trees.
By focusing on these tasks in November, you'll help protect your garden through winter, improve spring growth, and can enhance productivity and aesthetics into the colder months.
References:
[1] RHS. (2021). Autumn lawn care. Retrieved from https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=435
[2] RHS. (2021). Autumn garden jobs. Retrieved from https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=436
[3] RHS. (2021). Winter garden jobs. Retrieved from https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=437
[4] RHS. (2021). Preparing your garden for winter. Retrieved from https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=439
[5] RHS. (2021). Growing gourmet mushrooms indoors. Retrieved from https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=441
- To extend the beauty of your home-and-garden lifestyle, consider planting autumn/winter plants such as anemones, cyclamen, pansies, asters, sedums, and ornamental grasses in your garden.
- As a part of your gardening, you might want to start planning or experimenting with winter crops or activities like growing gourmet mushrooms indoors as an off-season garden project.
- After pruning and deadheading your perennials and herbs, take a moment to appreciate the vibrant colors of the flowers you've tended throughout the season.
