Garden Chores by Month: November

As November is here, now is the perfect time to prepare your garden for the winter months ahead. There are many garden chores that should be taken care of before winter sets in.

To start, remove any dead or dying foliage from plants, such as dead leaves, stems and flowers. This helps keep your garden healthy and free of disease-causing organisms. It’s also a great time to fertilize all your plants, shrubs and trees so they have a good head start in the spring. 

If you have an outdoor pond or water feature, make sure it's cleared of any debris that may have accumulated over the summer. It’s also a good idea to add a de-icer to prevent any freezing of the water. it’s important to drain your outdoor hoses and disconnect them from their spigots for the season. This helps prevent pipe bursting in freezing weather.

November is also the time to cut back perennials so they don’t get too tall during the winter months and can emerge ready to grow come springtime. Make sure you leave some stems standing as these provide important food sources for birds over winter. 

Now is also a great time to prune fruit trees, grapes vines and roses in preparation for next season’s growth. Be sure not to prune late into fall since new growth may suffer from frost damage come wintertime. 

In colder climates it’s important to protect sensitive plants with a thick layer of mulch or other material like straw or leaves around their roots and stems. This helps them stay warm throughout the winter months and come back strong in the spring. 

Finally, inspect all garden tools for rust or damage and clean and sharpen those that need it so they will be ready for use come springtime! 

With these simple steps you can ensure that your garden will stay healthy over winter and bloom beautifully come spring!