November in the Garden
Checklist
- Watch for early frost and cover container plants that may be sensitive. Bring others indoors.
- Irrigation systems may be turned off this month in most years. If rain is late, you may need to continue to irrigate. A soil moisture sensor may be useful.
- Sharpen shears and loppers: a clean cut is a healthy cut.
Protect newly planted annuals and emerging bulbs from slugs and snails.
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- Continue to clean up the garden to discourage disease.
- Look for late aphids on winter vegetable crops. Blast them off with water.
- Some fruit trees will require dormant spraying this month. Apply first dose of fixed copper as dormant spray.
- Avoid over-pruning of perennials to reduce their susceptibility to freeze damage in the coming winter.
Planting Guide
Vegetables & Herbs
- Directly seed fava beans and peas.
- Transplant seedlings or purchased plants of kale, lettuce, spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, beans, beets and carrots.
- Harvest broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, radishes, rutabaga, lettuce, turnips, and potatoes.
Bulbs and Flowers
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- Plant bulbs for spring bloom, such as daffodils, freesias, crocus, scilla, lirope, muscari, allium, and Dutch iris.
- Purchase amaryllis, narcissus, and hyacinth bulbs for indoor forcing.
- Plant campanula, columbine, delphinium, oriental poppy, scaveola, and salvia.
- Plant Flower seeds for spring bloom.
Trees and Shrubs
- Start looking for bare root trees in your local nursery