Gardening Advice for November
Our Plant Area Supervisor Donna shares her monthly gardening checklist.
1. Tulip time
November is tulip-planting time. The essential thing with all tulips is to make sure they have good drainage so add plenty of grit or sand to the soil first. It’s also important to plant them as deep as you can as the deeper they are the stronger and straighter the stem will be. Aim to plant three times their own depth, measured from top to bottom.
2. Dig in
Heavy soils are best dug just before the cold winter sets in. They have yet to become waterlogged and are less prone to compaction, and frost will help to break clods down to a tilth by next spring. Bare soil is not a natural state so make sure to add a good layer of mulch too. This will not only look tidy but will also provide winter protection, supress weed growth and act as a soil improver when it breaks down.
3. Snow whites
Paperwhite daffodils will be flowering for Christmas if you plant them at the beginning of November. Plant the bulbs just beneath the surface of your compost in a container and keep them watered but not soggy and place in a warm, light place.
4. Deep clean
It’s time to clean and oil your garden tools for winter storage. Place some sand and some oil in a large bucket, then slide your garden tools in and out of the sand. This will do a great job of cleaning them, as well as applying a light coat of oil to prevent rusting.
5. Final cut
Perennial plants will have seen better days, so cut stems to just above the ground and apply a mulch around the base of the plant to protect the roots and suppress weeds. These plants can also be lifted, divided and replanted, increasing your flower stock for next year. You can also lift and store dahlias now.
6. Autumn blaze
Cornus sanguinea ‘Mid-Winter Fire’ will inject a shot of much-needed colour in your garden throughout the winter season. Tough as old boots and easy to look after, they just need a hard cut-back in spring. Try planting against a dark background or inter-mingled with other dogwoods such as Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’(Red), Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’(Green) and Cornus alba ‘Kesselringii’.
7. Wildlife watch
As the autumn nights draw in and temperatures start to drop, habits change for a lot of our wildlife. Many species depend on extra food and shelter as they prepare for the cold and scarce winter months so try to put out fresh food and water for them every day. You can also leave some of the more attractive seed heads intact, rather than cutting them back, as these can provide food and shelter for birds, as well as looking quite pretty when covered in frost.
8. Branch out
November is a great time to plant bare-root fruit trees which are dormant when planted but then have the full season to grown when the temperatures rise in spring. Trees such as apple, pear, cherry and plum can be planted now, along with blackberry, raspberry and gooseberry.
9. Pot protection
Tender plants will need protecting from frost, gales and freezing rains. Move plants into the greenhouse, or into a sheltered spot, but if you can’t, it is worth wrapping plants or pots. In wet weather, raise pots up off the ground on ‘feet’ or similar to keep the bottom of the pot out of the water and prevent compost freezing.
10. Winter colour
Conifers are reliable evergreens that provide year-round interest and colour. My favourites include Cryptomeria japonica ‘Little Champion’ which is a compact, round conifer that is great for containers. Juniperis procumbems ‘Nana’ is another great ground covering conifer that will happily brighten up the winter months.
Feature plant
Hellebores
Also known as the Christmas Rose, Hellebores are a beautiful way to add colour in the winter months. These easy low-growing plants will flower from early December to mid-spring. The garden centre is full of different varieties to choose from in a wide range of shades including whites, yellows, pinks and crimsons. Their pretty petals are always a welcome sight on a cold, winter’s day.
The best time to plant hellebores is from autumn to spring, and they are most often bought in flower, ready for planting.
Dig lots of organic matter, such as garden compost, into the entire planting area, to help keep the soil consistently moist. Use one bucketful per square metre (square yard).
Position plants at the same level they were growing in their original container – hellebores don’t like to being planted too deep.
Lay a mulch of organic matter over the soil to help stop it drying out, leaving a gap around the base of the plant to avoid rotting.
Most hellebores should only be planted temporarily in containers, as part of a winter display. Then in spring, after flowering, transplant permanently into a border.
Newly planted hellebores need regular watering during their first growing season, from spring to summer. Established plants will benefit from watering during hot dry spells.
Hellebores in borders seldom need additional feeding. If growth is poor, this is likely to be due to drying out or soil, rather than a lack of nutrients, so check for these first.
Plants in containers have less access to nutrients, so need regular feeding with a balanced liquid fertiliser. To encourage flowering, use a potassium-rich fertiliser, such as tomato feed.
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