Organic Gardening - what to sow in November

November is the time to prepare for winter, protect tender plants from frost, and sow seeds for early crops. Use the shorter days to plant bulbs, care for wildlife and prune fruit trees.

Flowering Plants

Flowering Plants

  • Plant tulip bulbs at the end of the month for spring blooms.
  • Plant pansies and violas with variegated ivy for winter cheer.
  • Plant hellebores for winter interest.
  • Add compost to flower beds.

Vegetables

Vegetables

  • Sow broad beans and peas for early spring harvests.
  • Sow spinach, winter lettuce, and chard.
  • Sow early spring onions in containers.
  • Start carrots and radishes in a cold frame.
  • Protect brassicas from pigeons and slugs using netting and chemical-free wool pellets.
  • Cover beds with mulch to protect soil structure.

Fruit

Fruit

  • Plant bare-root fruit trees, like apples and pears.
  • Harvest any remaining apples or late-season fruit.
  • Remove fallen fruit to reduce disease spread.
  • Plant new raspberries and blackberries.
  • Plant bare-root strawberries.
  • Prune currant and gooseberry bushes.
  • Mulch around the base of fruit trees for insulation.

General Garden Jobs

General Garden Jobs

  • Rake up leaves from deciduous trees and place in black plastic bags to make leafmould.
  • Turn compost to aerate and speed up decomposition.
  • Insulate greenhouses with bubble wrap.
  • Clear any remaining summer plants from beds.
  • Clean and sharpen garden tools over the winter.
  • Mulch garden beds to smother weed seeds and reduce frost damage to roots.
  • Add organic matter to vegetable beds.
  • Collect rainwater in covered barrels for future use.

Pots & Containers

  • Move tender potted plants to a greenhouse or sheltered area before the first frost.
  • Water containers sparingly to prevent waterlogging.
  • Wrap terracotta pots in fleece for protection.

Wildlife

  • Leave seed heads on plants as food and consider planting a wildlife hedge with native bare-root trees.
  • Set up bird feeders with high-fat seeds.
  • Place a hedgehog house in a quiet corner.

Pruning

  • Focus on apples and pear trees this month, removing any crossing or weak branches. Prune grapevines to remove excess growth.
  • Trim back shrub roses
  • Remove any dead or diseased material from perennials and hedges to keep them healthy.

Organic Gardening Tip: Leave leaf piles in sheltered areas to provide natural mulch and habitat for insects. This organic layer breaks down slowly, improving soil structure and helping the local ecosystem thrive.

Sophie Essex

Written by: Sophie Essex, garden writer

Sophie Essex is a freelance garden writer with a passion for horticulture and environmental conservation. She's qualified with a BSc in Botany/Plant Biology from the University of Plymouth and a MSc in Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants from The University of Edinburgh.

Sophie has also worked as a professional gardener and landscaper, developing her practical skills at Cornwall's Eden Project, the National Trust for Scotland, and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.