November – Jobs to do in the garden

These tips were kindly contributed by local resident Cara MacColl:

Autumn is a busy time for gardeners, with all the clearing up of leaves and tidying up of flowerbeds and November will be the month where we start to feel the colder air temperatures and it is likely we will have the first Winter frosts.

Planting

Plant any bare-root trees and herbaceous shrubs throughout this month and plant your tulip bulbs in the ground or in pots. You can also create some colour throughout the Winter months by planting up tubs and baskets with evergreen perennials, ornamental grasses, winter pansies and polyanthus.

Protecting from winds and frost

Young trees over 1m high will need staking for support, especially in exposed locations.

November is a rainy and often windy month so protect larger roses from wind-rock by pruning them down by a third and protect any container plants in non frost proof pots with bubblewrap around them or moving them into a greenhouse or shed.

Garden furniture will also need protecting at this time of year, so cover any wooden tables, chairs or benches or move them undercover.

Lawns

November is the last chance to lay turf. If you are planning to lay a new lawn, try to undertake this task over a few frost-free days or when the soil isn’t waterlogged. If the weather is dry and mild you may be able to cut established lawns for the last time this month.

Digging

It’s a perfect time for digging over the vegetable patch or allotment, provided the ground  isn’t waterlogged. If you leave the soil in large clumps, the Winter frosts will break the soil down into a crumbly finish for you.

Tidying up

Continue clearing fallen leaves off your lawn, paths and driveways and putting them into black bin liners to rot down into leaf mulch to use next year.