Essential November Gardening Tasks : A Guide for UK Gardeners

You might be almost ready for the eggnog, cheesy American Christmas movies, and cosy nights in front of Strictly, but your gardening tasks aren’t over quite yet. So, before you hang up your tools for the winter, there are some essential November gardening tasks to tackle!

Indeed, November is all about tidying, clearing away, and making sure your lawn and plants enter their winter dormancy in the best possible shape. So, don’t relax: there are jobs to do!

This blog provides valuable insights into essential November gardening tasks, helping you maintain a beautiful and thriving garden throughout the season.

Leaf Cleanup and Habitat Preservation

There’s an ongoing debate about clearing away leaves and the impact it has on the environment.

Because:

Leaves left on the ground provide:

• a habitat for beneficial creatures, and
• high-quality mulch for your bedding plants

So, it’s about striking a balance between a healthy lawn and the needs of your wildlife guests. 

Because leaves left on your lawn plunge your grass plants into darkness, starving them of daylight and oxygen.

Bad times!

Make use of the leaves  

So, I recommend raking the leaves off your lawn and into your flower beds.

This effectively simulates what happens on a forest floor, offering warmth and protection for wildlife. But it also mulches your bedding plants – helping protect them from the cold.

And then, the mulch rots into nutritious compost that will feed your plants come spring.

Win-win!

Should I compost fallen leaves?

If you’d rather rake fallen leaves away altogether, they make an excellent base for homemade compost.

Starting a compost pile with fallen leaves is the environmentally friendly way to dispose of them while creating nutrient-rich compost for your garden. 

Go for a good mix of brown waste (leaves) and green waste (kitchen scraps, grass clippings) for a balanced compost pile.

Alternatively, find out how to turn your collected leaves into gardeners gold: leaf mould.

Planting Tulip Bulbs

November is the ideal window for planting tulip bulbs in preparation for a vibrant spring display. Tulips add a splash of colour to any garden and are a delightful sight come springtime.

So, choose a sunny spot, and ensure the soil is well-drained. 

Dig a hole, placing the bulbs pointed end up, and cover them with soil. 

And water them in if the soil is dry.

Simple.

Lifting Dahlia Tubers

Lifting your dahlia tubers to protect them from the cold is an essential November gardening task. 

First, cut back the foliage. Then, carefully lift the tubers from the ground, cleaning off any excess soil. Then, allow them to dry for a few days. 

Store the tubers in a dry, cool place over winter, ideally in trays filled with dry sand or compost. 

Taking these precautions will help ensure healthy tubers for replanting next year.

Clearing Faded Plants

As the gardening season winds down, it’s essential to remove faded plants from your beds and borders. Clearing away spent annuals and perennials not only tidies up your garden but also helps prevent the spread of diseases and pests. 

Therefore, cut back dead plants to ground level, remove the debris, and dispose of them properly.

You could add the plant remains to your compost heap, but look closely beforehand. If there’s ANY sign of disease or pest infestation, burn it rather than add it to your compost.

Protecting Borderline Hardy Plants

November marks the time to protect borderline hardy plants from the harsh winter conditions. 

So, before the first frost, cover any vulnerable plants with horticultural fleece and move potted plants to a more sheltered location.

Alternatively, surround the plant’s base with a healthy layer of mulch (those leaves come in handy, remember) to help keep its roots warm. 

Providing additional protection can make a significant difference in their survival during the cold months.

Sowing Seeds from Berry-Laden Trees

Take advantage of the harvest season and sow seeds collected from berry-laden trees. 

These seeds, such as those from holly or cotoneaster, can be planted directly into pots or trays filled with compost. 

Keep them in a cool, sheltered place and wait for the magic of germination to occur. This activity can be a delightful way to engage with nature and start new plants for your garden.

Or you could leave them on the bushes for the birds to eat over the winter.

Hardwood Cuttings of Fruit Bushes

November is an ideal time to take hardwood cuttings of fruit bushes. 

Select healthy, straight stems from this year’s growth and cut them into lengths of approximately 20cm. 

Remove any buds or leaves from the lower two-thirds of the cutting and insert them into a prepared trench in well-drained soil. 

With patience and care, these cuttings will develop roots over the winter months and can be transplanted to their permanent positions next year.

Check out our expert articles in pruning.

Other Maintenance Tasks

Aside from specific planting, clearing, and sowing tasks, November also demands several maintenance activities. 

Here’s a checklist:

• Check potential bonfires for wildlife before igniting them to avoid harm to any creatures seeking shelter. 
• Repair fences and trellises to ensure they withstand the winter weather. 
• Protect pots from frost damage by moving them to a more sheltered area or wrapping them with insulation.

Your November gardening tasks

As November arrives, UK gardeners have a wealth of jobs to undertake. 

From leaf cleanup and composting to planting bulbs and protecting plants from frost, these activities are essential for maintaining a thriving and beautiful garden. 

Any questions?

I hope you’ve got a good idea of your November gardening tasks, but if you have any questions, get in touch.

Or check out our comprehensive Help & Advice section.

Happy gardening!

Louis Hooft

Founder & Lawn expert

Introducing Louis Hooft, the founder of MOOWY and your reliable expert. With a profound love for stunning lawns and extensive experience in garden maintenance, Louis is here to assist garden enthusiasts in achieving a greener and livelier outdoors than ever before. Count on Louis for invaluable tips, clever tricks, and top-notch products to make your garden flourish!