November

Jobs in the garden in November include:

• Clearing fallen leaves – which can then be easily turned into leaf mould. Leaf mould is an extremely valuable commodity in the garden and a free soil improver, lawn conditioner and mulch if you make it yourself from your own leaves!
• Lifting tender plants if not already done so. All plants, such as begonias, dahlias, summer flowering geraniums, and fuchsias should be under cover by now. Pot up plants and keep them in a cool but frost free light place. Dry off tubers and corms and store in boxes of dry, peat-free compost.
• Prune back large Roses and fast growing shrubs like Buddleia to avoid wind rock.
• Sow winter hardy broad beans such as Aquadulce ‘Claudia’ for an earlier crop next year. Seeds should be sown in double rows 2 inches deep. They will benefit from a nitrogen rich fertiliser added to the soil and covering with horticultural fleece will protect them from the worst of the winter weather.
• In the fruit garden, once the leaves have fallen you can start to winter prune fruit trees such as apples and pears. But remember that stone fruits should never be pruned in the winter due to the risk of silver leaf which can cause a tree to die. At this time of year sap is being drawn back into the trees and the airborne spores of silver leaf can be drawn back into the vascular system of the plant at the same time.
• Order bare rooted roses as the best choice is likely to be available.
• Prepare ground for planting bare rooted hedging and trees which are available now and can be planted up to the end of the dormant season at the end of March.
• It’s not too late to plant tulip bulbs. Why not plant up some in a pot with some winter flowering pansies and put them by the door you use most and enjoy a neat mini low maintenance garden over the coming winter months!