Laidback Gardening: What to Do in November?

Even though we’re in the middle of autumn, here in Canada, I find that November marks a clearer transition between the seasons than late September. The trees, which displayed their flamboyant autumn colors in October, have for the most part lost their leaves at this time of year. While early autumn in September still offers warm days, sometimes rivalling those of summer, by November, though, it’s cold! The days are inevitably getting shorter, which can affect our mood. Is it just me, or do the days seem greyer in November? There’s not much left to do in the garden, but it can do you a world of good to get out and spend some time outdoors, even if it’s just to appreciate the plants adopting their winter colors. Put on a few layers of clothing, get outside in November and enjoy the last rays of autumn sunshine, before winter sets in for good.

Vegetable Garden

1. Harvesting hardy vegetables: If you still have root vegetables like carrots or parsnips in the ground, you can harvest them. Some vegetables, such as kale, can also survive up to more intense frosts. With protection, you can harvest in the snow!
2. Protect root vegetables: If you still have root vegetables like carrots or parsnips in the ground, a thick mulch of dead leaves or straw can protect them from frost, extending the harvesting period.

Ornamental Garden

1. Don’t cut the foliage of perennials in autumn: let the leaves and stems decompose on site to improve growth in spring;
2. Covering autumn bulbs: Use mulch, such as shredded leaves, to protect freshly planted bulbs from the cold. This won’t prevent them from flowering in spring;
3. Install winter protection first year only: It’s especially during the first year of planting that protection is needed, especially for shrubs and trees at the edge of their hardiness zone, or for evergreens.

Lawn

1. Mow the lawn one last time: The last mowing of the year should be the shortest, at around 5 cm. Collect grass clippings for composting or mulching. This aerates the grasses and makes them more resistant to the rigors of winter and to disease under the snow;
2. Shred dead leaves: Use a lawnmower to chop up the leaves, leaving the residue to enrich the soil with organic matter;
3. Maintain your lawnmower before winter: Rather than letting it rust during the cold season, take advantage of late autumn to take it to a professional for a blade adjustment and sharpening.

Houseplants

1. Clean houseplants: Wipe the leaves off your plants, or take a shower with them, and reduce watering as the light diminishes;
2. Monitor humidity: Make sure your plants don’t suffer from dry air due to heating by installing humidifiers or grouping your plants together to increase humidity.

Other

1. Cleaning and storing gardening tools: Wash, sharpen and store your tools in a dry place to protect them from rust;
2. Clean eavestroughs: Make sure your rain gutters are clear before the snow arrives to avoid blockages and overflows;
3. Protect fruit trees from rodents: Install wire mesh around the trunks of fruit trees to prevent rodents from damaging the bark over winter;
4. Decorate pots and planters for winter: Use colorful branches, dried fruit and flowers to create decorative winter arrangements.