Jobs to do in November

November has arrived and the weather is a little wetter and starting to get much colder. Most of the jobs in the garden are preventative actions to help keep your lawn and garden looking neat and tidy. One easy task is to empty your water butts and give them a good clean to ensure all harmful bacteria is killed before they are filled up with winter rain.

Looking After Your Lawn

The first job in the garden during November is to do is spike your lawn with a garden fork. This will help to relieve any compaction of the soil, helping prevent any rain water from pooling on the lawn and help oxygen reach the grass roots, which is essential for healthy grass growth.

Areas of the garden that are used frequently, such as pathways or where the children’s play equipment may sit, become areas where soil compaction is a big problem. You can overcome this quite simply by aerating your lawn and this will allow water and air to penetrate built up grass or thatch.

If the weather conditions are still mild and your grass is continuing to grow noticeably, you should continue to give it a light trim, just simply to keep on top of the tidiness. If the soil conditions have become wet or frosty you should try and keep off the lawn if you can.

You will have done most of the hard work over the last few months to prepare your garden already, but there are still a few minor tasks to tick off. The main one is keeping in control of the leaves. Continue to remove any fallen leaves that have landed on the lawn or around the lawn. Where they are laying thickly and are smothering plants in your beds for example, make sure to clear these off to keep the area dry and airy. 

In the Borders

Perennial plants that are beginning to look past their best, need to be cut right down, and remember to clear away all of the remains and add them to your compost heap. Plant your spring bulbs now, the earlier the better in November, ensuring they are planted at the depth indicated on the packet. Bulbs like daffodils and tulips offer a great, vibrant display of colour in early spring.

Think of the Animals

As temperatures fall remember the birds and animals are in need of food and water. Leave out nuts and fat balls, keeping them regularly topped up and in the same place, so the animals know where to come each day. 

Looking After Plants In Pots

To protect your pots against the cold weather, raise them from the floor using plant pot feet. This helps prevent them from cracking due to excess cold. This also helps the excess water in the soil drain more freely, preventing root rot of your plants.

To further helps any plants in containers or bushes, add mulch to the soil and wrap and fleece around the pot to help insulate them.