November Guide for the Organic Garden 

As the year winds down and temperatures dip, November is the time for gardeners to make sure everything is prepared for winter. From planting new crops to protecting established plants, a few key tasks this month will set up your garden for a successful season ahead. Let’s dig into this November garden checklist! 

In the Vegetable Garden

1. Harvest and Divide

• Root Veggies: After the first frost, lift parsnips and carrots to bring out their natural sweetness.

• Rhubarb Division: Split dormant, mature clumps of rhubarb for a productive spring.

2. Frost Protection
If frost is predicted, fleece vegetables overnight and use cloches or frost covers to protect overwintering crops. Raised beds can also be built now for improved drainage and structure in your garden.

3. Garlic Bed Prep
If you haven't planted autumn garlic, there's still time. Prepare the bed and plant if the ground isn’t frozen.

4. Grow Your Own Mushrooms
Start a mushroom kit this season—an easy project that brings fresh fungi to your winter meals.

5. Create Walkable Paths
Lay wood chip paths, which you may be able to source for free from local tree surgeons, to navigate your garden safely through winter.

6. Mulch with Leaf Mould
Spread leaf mould on vegetable beds for it to break down over winter. If beds are still occupied, add them to compost bins. See my post on how to make your own Leaf Mould Here 

7. Support Tall Veggies
Stake top-heavy broccoli and kale, and mound soil around the base to prevent wind damage.

Fruit Tree Care

• 1. Prune Apple and Pear Trees: Anytime between now and February, prune these trees, but leave plum trees until later to avoid silver leaf fungus.

  2. Pest Prevention: Apply glue or grease bands to tree trunks to keep winter moths from laying eggs.

  3.  Check Stored Fruits
     Regularly inspect stored fruits and promptly remove any showing signs of rot.

 Greenhouse and Cold-frame Preparation

• Repair and Insulate: Fix any damaged glass and add bubble wrap insulation inside the greenhouse frame and or cold frame. 

• Ventilation: After watering, ventilate greenhouses, especially when using paraffin heaters.

• Deep Clean: Wash glass, floors, and staging with horticultural disinfectant to kill overwintering pests.

• Solar Lights: Install affordable solar lights to make plant checks easier on dark evenings.

• Mindful Watering: Avoid overwatering—water only when plants show active growth.

Flower Garden Prep

• Perennials: Cut back and tidy perennials for winter, adding mulch for extra protection. With half-hardy annuals use frost fleece as protection.

• Tulip Planting: Now is the perfect time to pot up tulip bulbs for beautiful spring blooms.

• Prune Roses and Other Shrubs: Prune roses back and other shrubs that benefit from a winter trim to promote healthy growth next year. For hybrid teas, floribundas, and other shrub roses, removing about a third of their height in autumn can reduce the risk of damage from strong winds, but for climbing roses, it’s best to wait until late winter or early spring to avoid exposing them to cold damage 

With this November checklist, you’re ensuring a healthy, productive start for spring. Embrace the chilly mornings and frosty evenings—it’s all part of the seasonal rhythm that makes gardening so rewarding!

 Get Your Free November Garden Guide Here