Planting Options for Your Garden in November to Ensure a Prolific Harvest Next Year
November marks the beginning of fall and early winter, and it's a perfect time to prepare your garden for the cooler months. This season favours cool-season vegetables, leafy greens, root crops, hardy herbs, and certain flower bulbs. Here's a guide on what you can plant, grow, and sow in your garden during November.
In a cool or mild climate, you can typically:
Sow or plant cool-season vegetables and greens such as lettuce, spinach, arugula, kale, Swiss chard, mustard greens, braising greens (collards, Asian greens, etc.), root crops like carrots, beets, radishes, and daikon radishes, peas, and hardy onions (e.g., scallions). These crops are well-suited to cool weather and can handle light frosts, making them ideal for November planting or transplanting [1][3][4].
Grow hardy herbs such as rosemary, sage, thyme, chamomile (German and Roman types), and cilantro. These herbs often tolerate mild winters or can be harvested before the first major frost [2][3].
Plant flower bulbs for spring blooms. Fall is the ideal time to plant spring-flowering bulbs like tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, crocuses, alliums, Spanish bluebells, snowdrops, and Dutch irises. They require chilling over the winter to bloom beautifully in spring [5].
If you're in a milder winter area, you may also be able to sow more herbs and leafy greens directly outdoors. For optimal growth, aim to plant leafy greens and root crops 4 to 7 weeks before your area's first expected frost to allow them to mature before harsh cold sets in [4].
For those who prefer a more vibrant display, consider planting crab apples 'Comtesse de Paris' and M. x robusta 'Red Sentinel'. These varieties are known for their bright yellow and scarlet fruits, respectively, during November [6].
If you don't have a cold frame, planting in a sheltered spot near to the house or a shed can offer similar protection for your plants [7]. For a late autumn crop, broad beans can be sown directly in November, with 'Aquadulce Claudia' being a tried and tested cultivar, or you might opt for the alternative cultivar 'Crimson Flowered' with its deep reddish-pink blossoms [1][3].
Strawberries can be planted out in November, either in pots in the kitchen yard or in the open ground with proper drainage. Strawberry plants can last for two to three seasons before needing replacement, and they can be easily propagated by snipping off baby plants in summer and potting them up [8].
In colder regions, trees, shrubs, umbel seed, and roses can be sown now, covered with grit and left outside to germinate following a period of cold weather [1]. Indoors, micro greens and cut-and-come-again salad leaves can be sown on a windowsill or greenhouse shelf, while mixed seed packets for various beets, brassicas, mustards, and herbs are available for indoor sowing [9]. However, sowing many seeds is less suitable in November due to low light levels and short days [9].
Sources:
[1] Diggers Club (2021) [online] Available at: https://www.diggers.com.au/blog/broad-beans-for-november/
[2] RHS (2021) [online] Available at: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=454
[3] BBC Gardeners' World (2021) [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/howto/sow-broad-beans-in-november
[4] Gardening Know How (2021) [online] Available at: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/lettuce/how-to-grow-lettuce-in-the-fall.htm
[5] HGTV (2021) [online] Available at: https://www.hgtv.com/gardens/flowers/bulbs/how-to-plant-spring-flowering-bulbs
[6] National Trust (2021) [online] Available at: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/crab-apples-for-november
[7] The Spruce (2021) [online] Available at: https://www.thespruce.com/protect-plants-from-excessive-rainfall-3133150
[8] The Spruce Eats (2021) [online] Available at: https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-grow-strawberries-3026217
[9] The Guardian (2021) [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/garden/2019/nov/01/what-to-do-in-the-garden-this-november
- "By sowing cool-season vegetables and greens, such as lettuce, spinach, and kale, you're not only extending your home-and-garden lifestyle into the cooler days of fall, but also preparing for a nutritious harvest in the coming months."
- "Gardening enthusiasts can grow hardy herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme during November, which will not only provide flavor to their meals but also thrive in the cooler climate, offering a vibrant addition to their lifestyle."
- "To add a splash of color to your garden and home-and-garden lifestyle, consider planting spring-flowering bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and crocuses this November, as they will bloom beautifully in the spring, bringing their brightness into your life."