November in the Garden
November is here, and the garden is beginning to settle into its winter rhythm. The days are shorter, the temperatures are dropping, and much of the summer colour has disappeared. But while things might look quieter above ground, there's still plenty happening beneath the soil.
This month is all about preparing for the seasons ahead, from planting spring bulbs and garlic to moving perennials and taking cuttings. It's also a wonderful time to plant trees and shrubs, giving them a head start before spring arrives.
Here are a few jobs to keep you busy in the garden this November.
Plant garlic
November is a great time to plant garlic, particularly varieties that benefit from a period of cold weather to encourage the bulbs to develop.
Choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil and break your garlic bulbs into individual cloves, keeping the papery skins intact. Plant each clove with the pointed end facing upwards, around 5cm deep, spacing them approximately 15cm apart, with 30cm between rows.
If your soil is particularly heavy or prone to waterlogging, consider planting garlic in raised beds or containers to prevent the cloves from rotting over winter.
Garlic is wonderfully easy to grow, and there's something rather satisfying about planting it now and knowing you'll be harvesting your own bulbs next summer.
Plant spring bulbs
If you haven't finished planting your spring bulbs like me, there's still time!
November is a good opportunity to get the last of your daffodils, crocuses and alliums into the ground, provided the soil isn't frozen or waterlogged.
And towards the end of November, it's finally time to start planting tulips!
Tulips are best planted later in autumn, when soil temperatures have dropped, as this helps reduce the risk of tulip fire, a fungal disease that can damage their leaves and flowers. Plant bulbs at around two to three times their own height, with the pointed end facing upwards, and choose a spot with good drainage.
I love planting bulbs in generous groups and drifts rather than neat rows. They look so much more natural when they emerge in spring, particularly when woven through perennial borders. It's always worth planting a few more than you think you'll need. You can never have too many spring flowers!
Lift and store dahlias
After the first frosts have blackened the foliage, it's time to think about lifting and storing your dahlias, particularly if you garden in an area with cold, wet winters.
Cut the stems back to around 10–15cm above the tubers, then carefully lift them with a garden fork, taking care not to damage the roots. Allow the tubers to dry somewhere sheltered and frost-free before storing them in a cool, dark, frost-free place. You can pack them in crates with some news paper or into a little compost. Check them occasionally throughout winter for signs of rot or shrivelling.
If you have particularly free-draining soil and a sheltered garden, you may be able to leave dahlias in the ground beneath a generous layer of mulch. However, here in Yorkshire, I prefer to be cautious, particularly with varieties I wouldn't want to lose.
A little care now means you'll have beautiful dahlias ready to grow again next year.
Plant trees, shrubs, bare-root roses and hedges
November marks the beginning of the traditional bare-root planting season, making it a wonderful time to introduce new trees, shrubs, roses and hedging plants into your garden.
As plants enter dormancy, they can be planted with less stress, and the cooler, wetter weather helps their roots settle into the surrounding soil.
Bare-root plants are also often more economical than container-grown alternatives, particularly if you're planting a hedge or several trees.
Before planting, soak bare roots in water if they've become dry, prepare a generous planting hole and ensure the roots can spread naturally without being bent or crowded.
Plant at the correct depth, firm the soil gently around the roots and water well after planting.
The most important thing is to avoid planting when the ground is frozen or waterlogged. If conditions aren't suitable, wait for a better day.
Autumn and winter planting is one of the best ways to give your garden a head start for the following growing season.
Divide and move herbaceous perennials
November is also still a good time to divide or move hardy herbaceous perennials, particularly those that have finished flowering and are entering dormancy.
If you've noticed plants becoming overcrowded, developing bare centres or simply outgrowing their space, dividing them can help rejuvenate the clumps and give you more plants for other areas of the garden.
Plants such as hardy geraniums, astrantia and some ornamental grasses can be divided during their dormant period, although certain varieties are better left until spring.
Carefully lift the plant with a garden fork, divide it into smaller sections using your hands, a spade or two forks, and make sure each section has healthy roots and growing points.Replant the divisions promptly, at the same depth they were growing before, and water them in.
It's also a lovely opportunity to rethink your borders. Sometimes moving just a few plants can make such a difference to how a planting scheme comes together.
If the soil is very wet, heavy or frozen, it's best to leave this job until conditions improve in spring.
Take hardwood cuttings
If you enjoy propagating your own plants, November is a great time to take hardwood cuttings from deciduous shrubs once they've dropped their leaves and entered dormancy.
Hardwood cuttings are one of the simplest ways to make new plants, and although they require a little patience, they're wonderfully rewarding
.
Plants such as Cornus, Salix, Ribes and some roses are particularly suitable.
Choose healthy, pencil-thick stems from this year's growth and cut them into sections around 15–30cm long. Make a straight cut just below a bud at the base and a sloping cut above a bud at the top. This helps you remember which way up to plant them. Insert the cuttings into a pot of gritty compost or a sheltered nursery bed, leaving around one-third of each cutting above the surface. Keep them somewhere sheltered and allow them time to develop roots over the coming months. Not every cutting will take, but it's such an inexpensive way to grow more plants for your garden.
What's Happening in the Garden?
November is a month of slowing down.
The last of the autumn leaves are falling from the trees
Dahlias and tender plants begin to succumb to the first frosts
Ornamental grasses and seed heads bring structure to quieter borders
Birds are making the most of the remaining berries and seeds
Trees and shrubs are entering dormancy as winter approaches
Beneath the soil, spring bulbs are quietly developing their roots
The garden may appear to be resting, but there's still so much life and preparation happening out of sight.
Looking Ahead
November is a lovely reminder that gardening isn't always about what we can see. While much of the garden is settling down for winter, the work we do now will help shape what emerges next spring.
Whether you're planting garlic, adding new trees and shrubs, dividing perennials or tucking the last of your bulbs into the soil, there's still plenty to enjoy outdoors.
And on those colder days when the weather keeps you inside, it's the perfect opportunity to put the kettle on, browse the plant catalogues and dream about next year's garden.
All my love, love from Donna 🌷
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