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Gardening tips for November

Gardening Tips for November

The days are getting colder and the remaining fiery colours of autumn are slowly drifting away – winter is almost upon us. With the changing seasons comes essential garden maintenance and November is the time to get yours organised and tidied for the months ahead. From caring for your lawn to creating a haven for wildlife, our seasonal tips will have your garden fully prepped as we move into winter

Indoors

Indoors

  • The festive period isn’t just for Holly and Poinsettias, Amaryllis will flower during Christmas time if planted now. Amaryllis bulbs, and everything you need to grow them, are available in-store and online from only £9.99
  • If you have already planted fragrant indoor plants like Hyacinths or Narcissus Paper Whites, move the grow bowls to a brighter position to encourage their colourful, scented flowers by Christmas
Tubs & baskets

Tubs & Baskets

  • November is a great time to plant hardy winter bedding. Pick up proven winners like Pansies and Violas or winter flowering Heathers for a burst of colour come the new season. Plant with ruby red Skimmia, Hellebore (Christmas Rose), winter flowering Viburnum and trailing Ivy for a seasonal look
  • Protect any prized outdoor plants and containers by lifting them off the ground with pot-feet to help prevent waterlogging during the winter months
Beds & borders

Beds & borders

  • Tulip bulbs are best planted in November, so get the bulbs in now for a beautiful display of colour in May and June. Pick up Tulip bulbs in-store and online from our essentials range for only £3.49 per pack. These can be combined with drifts of winter hardy bedding plants for a colourful display
  • Cut back summer-flowering shrubs, such as Buddleia and Lavatera, by half to prevent wind rock and give evergreen hedges their final trim for a neat, crisp finish. Shop hedge trimmers, loppers and secateurs perfect for the job in-store and online
  • Plant new hedges, such as Beech, Hawthorn and Privet, and fill gaps with fresh plants
Cottage garden

COTTAGE GARDEN

  • Lift and store tender Dahlias touched by the first frosts, cut back and tidy faded cottage garden perennials and prune Roses by one third to prevent wind rock
  • Leave grasses and seed heads for their architectural interest, but also to support garden wildlife and pollinators over the winter
Fruit garden

Fruit garden

  • Harvest the last of the apples and pears and store in a cool airy shed on slatted benching for good air circulation, carrying out any necessary tree pruning between now and February
  • New season ranges of soft fruit, raspberry canes and fruit trees are available for planting now, to ensure you have a great crop next summer
Garden tidy up

Garden tidy up

  • It’s important to keep your gardening tools in order so now is the time to clean, oil and sharpen tools – and don’t forget to book the lawn mower in for its winter service
  • Cover garden furniture with winter covers to protect from heavy rain
  • Clear fallen leaves from the garden pond to protect wildlife and from paths and patios to reduce slippery algae forming
  • For the benefit of garden wildlife, leave some areas of the garden untouched as a winter sanctuary for insects and hibernating hedgehogs
Lawn

Lawn

  • Fallen leaves can smother and eventually kill off grass, so keep yours in order with the Gardeners Mate Lawn Rake available in-store and online
  • After collecting the fallen leaves, mix into your compost bin such as the Ecomax compost bin, or store in a separate pen for rotting down into leaf-mould
  • Scarify established lawns to remove dead thatch, which can stifle growth in the winter months. Spike the surface with a fork or lawn aerator and apply Dobbies peat free lawn dressing to help improve drainage
  • In early November you can still apply an autumn lawn feed to strengthen the grass over the winter
Garden birds

Garden birds

  • Winter conditions can be difficult for garden birds so help them thrive by including feed and nesting boxes in your garden
  • Pre-filled Peckish feeders cost only £5.99 in-store and online and are perfect for encouraging wildlife during the colder months. Position feeders as close to the house as possible, if filling your own feeder, use a variety of seeds and nuts to attract a wide range of birds to your garden. Once they find you, they will become daily visitors, sheltering from the worst of the weather in your trees, shrubs and hedges

We would love to see what you get up to in the garden this November, take a picture and tag us on socials with @dobbiesgardencentre for your chance to be featured on our social media channels