Gardening Tips for November
The days are getting colder, and the remaining fiery colours of autumn are slowly beginning to fade – small signs that winter is almost upon us! With the changing season comes a few essential garden maintenance jobs, and November is the ideal time to get your outdoors organised and tidied ahead of the final months of the year
From protecting your tender plants to tidying up shrubs, trees and perennials, our garden tips for November will help you feel fully prepped as we move into winter
THIS MONTH IS ALL ABOUT: PRUNING
Shorter days paired with cold, wet weather means you might not have as many opportunities to get out in the garden. Fortunately, pruning is a job that can be done whenever you have a free five or ten minutes during your day
Pruning is all about removing the 3 D’s: dead, dying and diseased parts of plants. This improves structure, appearance and health. In some instances, this may also improve fruit and flowering. During winter when your plants are dormant is usually the best time to prune, however there are some you can start on now. Just grab your sharpest pair of loppers and get to work!
Prune roses, Buddleia and Lavatera, and other summer flowering shrubs by one third to a half to prevent them becoming damaged in strong winds. Final pruning of these plants should be completed in spring after the risk of frost has passed
Cut back summer-flowering shrubs, such as Buddleia and Lavatera, by half. Give evergreen hedges their final trim for a neat, crisp finish. You should also prune hardy trees, shrubs and autumn-fruiting raspberries and other fruit bushes such as blackcurrants and gooseberries
If you prefer, you can leave grasses and seed heads instead of cutting them back as they provide architectural interest and support garden wildlife and pollinators over the winter
GENERAL GARDEN MAINTAINENCE FOR NOVEMBER
If cold, frosty weather is predicted, you should begin to protect tender plants from frost, wind and cold rain. Move your plants into your greenhouse if you have one, or into a sheltered spot like a shed or garage. Alternatively, you can wrap your plants or pots in frost protection fleeces or jackets
Bring in or cover your garden furniture with winter covers to protect from heavy rain
Raise potted plants onto pot feet to keep them off the cold, wet ground. This helps to prevent the compost freezing or waterlogging
Continue to clear away fallen leaves from lawns, paths and patios to stop them killing your grass and to reduce slippery algae forming
Scarify established lawns to remove dead thatch, which can stifle growth in the winter months. Spike the surface with a fork or lawn aerator and apply Dobbies peat-free lawn dressing to help improve drainage. In early November you can still apply an autumn lawn feed to strengthen the grass over the winter
WHAT TO DO WITH PLANTS AND FLOWERS IN NOVEMBER
November is a great time to plant hardy winter bedding. Pick up popular gardener favourites like Pansies and Violas or winter flowering Heathers for a burst of colour come the new season. Plant with ruby red Skimmia, Hellebore (also known as Christmas Rose), and winter flowering Viburnum for a seasonal look
Tulip bulbs are best planted in November, so get to work now for beautiful display of colour in May and June. Pick up Tulip bulbs in-store and online from our varied selection of colours and styles. These can be combined with drifts of winter hardy bedding plants for an even brighter display
The festive period isn’t just for Holly and Poinsettias - Amaryllis will flower during Christmas time if planted now. Amaryllis bulbs, and everything you need to grow them, are available in-store and online now
If you have already planted fragrant indoor plants like Hyacinths or Narcissus Paper Whites, move their bowls to a brighter position to encourage their colourful, scented flowers to grow by Christmas
LOOK AFTER WILDLIFE IN NOVEMBER
Winter conditions can be difficult for garden birds so help them thrive by including feed and nesting boxes in your garden. Take advantage of 2 for £3 on Peckish suet cakes and 2 for £10 on Peckish pre-filled feeders and seed, available exclusively in-store
If filling your own feeder, use a variety of seeds and nuts to attract a wide range of birds to your garden. Once they find you, they’ll become daily visitors, sheltering from the worst of the weather in your trees, shrubs and hedges
Keep bird baths unfrozen and topped up to provide wildlife with a water source too
We would love to see what you get up to in the garden this November, take a picture and tag us on socials with @dobbiesgardencentres for your chance to be featured on our social media channels