What to do in your garden in November

As autumn progresses and we head towards winter now os the time to clean up and prepare your garden fro the harsh winter months to come. There’s plenty to do so make the most of the daylight and prepare the garden for next year: prune, sweep, mulch and plant tulips, the last of the spring bulbs.

General

  • If you haven’t done so already get your bird feeders set up and buy a good supply of wild bird food to feed your birds over winter
  • Bubblewrap or fleece round individual vulnerable plants to protect from frost damage
  • Use autumn leaves to cover bare soil and protect it from winter rains and frosts.
  • Don’t stop weeding! Weeding done now will save time in the spring
  • Plant spring bulbs as soon as possible
  • Plant trees and shrubs to give them time to settle in before spring
  • If you do need to clear beds in the garden, mulch once the soil is moist again and certainly before frosts
  • Add old crops and bedding to the compost heap
  • Spike lawns then brush grit into the holes

Vegetables

  • Plant garlic from now until late November, but the sooner the better.
  • Sow broad beans – Broad beans are traditionally sown in autumn (late October to early December) for an early summer crop.
  • Sow hardy peas – Round seeded, hardy varieties of pea can be sown now for a June crop.
  • Check your leeks for pests

Fruit

  • Continue harvesting and storing sound fruit and check apples and pears in store and remove any that are rotting
  • Check tree ties, stakes and rabbit guards on fruit trees
  • This is a good time to lift and re-plant soft fruit bushes
  • Begin planting fruit trees, bushes and canes as soon after leaf fall as possible
  • Buy fruit trees and bushes now
  • Prune vines as soon as possible after leaf fall.
  • DON’T cut down autumn fruiting raspberry canes now. Leave them till February.
  • Winter prune apples and pears between now and next March

Need more advice? Post a question on our Facebook page or pop into the garden centre and talk to a member of our experienced garden team.