November gardening tasks

Continuing with our gardening series, we’ve put together some top tips for jobs you can do during November.

Before you attempt any tasks, please ensure you are doing so safely. If you have limited mobility, please only attempt tasks when you have a family member or carer present.

Pruning

This month you can prune deciduous hedges. Cut the hedge 30-60 cm (1-2 ft) lower than the height you actually want, to allow for new growth. New deciduous hedges are best planted during autumn/early winter when bare-rooted plants are available.

Feed the birds

Continue feeding the birds that visit your garden regularly. They rely on it! You can melt down lard and combine it with household foods for a tasty bird cake. Don’t forget to provide a good source of water too.

Check stored bulbs, fruit and veg

Check any stored bulbs, fruit, vegetables and tubers every few weeks to make sure they aren’t showing signs of rot. Ensure that the compost around dahlias and other tubers isn’t allowed to dry out completely.

Plan

Now is a great time to plan what you want to grow next year. It’s a great idea to keep a garden calendar or planner, then you can look back on your successes as well as your mistakes. It will also be a very useful memory-jogger for garden jobs in future years.

Weed borders

Cut back dead stems of perennials and add them to the compost heap. Rake up fallen leaves. Dig up and compost annual weeds but burn or throw away the roots of Perennial ones.

If you’ve got green fingers thanks to staying at home more, check out the rest of our blog posts on the topic here. Everything you need can be found at your local garden centre, but please check restrictions before making a special trip.