November can feel like an uninspiring time to be a gardener but with some clever planting it is possible to fill your garden with colour and interest even through the bleakest of winter days. Below are a few of the tasks you can be getting on with to keep your outside spaces looking cheery and bright.
Check bonfires for wildlife
With bonfire night on the horizon many of us will be accumulating wood and other debris for a bonfire. If these stacks of debris are left in place for long periods they often become home to hibernating toads or hedgehogs. A good tip is to create your woodpile away from where you plan to light your bonfire. Then, on the day you intend to light it, carefully relocate your materials to the bonfire site, checking for wildlife as you go.
If you do find any creatures, leave them in peace with as much debris as you can. Hedgehog numbers in particular are in sharp decline and need our help more than ever before. As one of the most effective slug control techniques, it is in a gardeners' interest to help them out.
Protect precious pots
With winter rolling in, November can be an especially chilly month, even on days when the sun is shining. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and take preventative action if any tender plants need protecting from frost. Potted plants can be moved to a sheltered position in a shed, greenhouse, or against a sunny wall. Trees or large shrubs can be wrapped in fleece to protect against the worst of the cold.
Although plastic pots and some modern terracotta pots are frost proof, older, vintage pots, or those bought cheaply, may not be able to withstand a hard frost. Empty containers should be moved indoors during winter to protect against shattering. Heavy pots containing large plants can be wrapped in hessian, and smaller containers should be moved off the ground using pot feet.
Purchase amaryllis bulbs
Amaryllis (hippeastrum) is a favourite of many gardeners as they offer a spectacular floral display during the height of winter. Many garden centres and supermarkets will have bulbs in stock and now is a good time to get them planted. Amaryllis thrive in positions that most houseplants hate, such as above a radiator or heater. Keep an eye on taller, larger varieties, as they may need staking when they reach full height.
Harvest winter veg
Parsnips and Brussels sprouts should be ready for harvesting this month. If possible, parsnips should be harvested before the ground begins to freeze; otherwise they will be difficult to lift and may become damaged in the process.
Collect Brussels sprouts from the bottom of the plants first, then work your way up the stem. Taller plants may need staking against brisk November winds.
Plant fruit bushes
So long as the ground is not extremely cold or wet, fruit bushes can be planted any time from now until March. Giving the plants plenty of organic material, ideally manure, will give your bushes the best chance of success. Nearly all fruit bushes should be planted to the same depth as they were previously in the ground. When planting, include a sturdy stake next to the plants. This will ensure your plants remain pert and upright even when drooping under the heavy burden of fresh fruit next summer.
Feed the birds
Our feathered friends need a little bit of help during the winter months. If you have a bird bath, try to keep it frost free so your garden birds have a ready supply of drinking water.
Although many birds will feast on the berries of rowan, holly, cotoneaster and others, keeping bird feeders well stocked with nuts, seeds and fat balls, will help ensure a steady, guaranteed food source for many varieties.
Although your garden may not be looking its best at this time of year, pottering around outside is a great way of keeping warm. Make the most of the November sunshine and prepare your garden for the abundance of colour and fragrance that will come from spring-flowering bulbs. The green shoots of new growth will be here before you know it.
How to resolve AdBlock issue?