November Gardening Calendar

November 2024 gardening calendar

Garden Checklist for the Month of November

1. Bulb Planting for Spring Blooms

  • Spring-Flowering Bulbs: Plant tulips, daffodils, and crocuses for a colorful spring display. Choose well-draining areas to prevent bulb rot.
  • Pest Protection: Use a thin layer of chicken wire over planted bulbs to deter squirrels from digging them up.
  • Indoor Bulb Forcing: Start forcing Paperwhites, Hyacinths, and Amaryllis indoors for festive winter blooms.

2. Houseplant Care

  • Bring Sensitive Plants Indoors: Move tropical or frost-sensitive plants inside to avoid cold damage.
  • Reduce Watering: Houseplants need less water in winter; allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings.
  • Increase Humidity: Indoor heating can dry the air, so use humidity trays or mist plants like ferns and calatheas to keep them happy.

3. Planting Cool-Season Vegetables and Annuals

  • Cool-Season Crops: Plant vegetables like lettuce, kale, carrots, onions, and garlic in raised beds or containers for better drainage.
  • Add Compost: Refresh garden beds with compost or aged manure to improve soil fertility.
  • Winter Color with Annuals: Add cool-season annuals like pansies, snapdragons, and calendulas for vibrant winter color when other plants are dormant.

4. Transitioning Outdoor Plants

  • Add Mulch: Lay a 2-3 inch layer of mulch around plants to insulate roots and retain soil moisture.
  • Protect Tender Plants: Move frost-sensitive plants to sheltered areas or cover with frost cloth during cold nights. Stock up on frost protection blankets for tender plants like citrus, bougainvillea, hibiscus, and gardenias.
  • Adjust Irrigation: Reduce watering as temperatures cool and days shorten. Turn off automatic systems during rainy periods.

5. Tending to Trees and Shrubs

  • Prune Deciduous Trees: Lightly prune fruit trees and deciduous shrubs as they go dormant, avoiding heavy pruning to prevent frost damage to new growth.
  • Rake and Compost Leaves: Collect fallen leaves to use as mulch or add to your compost pile, enriching soil around trees and flower beds.
  • First Fruit Tree Disease Spray: Around Thanksgiving, apply a copper-based spray (e.g., Bonide or Liqui-cop) to control diseases like peach leaf curl.

6. Prepare for Holiday Décor

  • Poinsettias and Amaryllis: Ideal for holiday decor, these plants thrive in bright, indirect light and add festive charm to your home.
  • Fresh-Cut Christmas Trees: Choose your Christmas tree starting around Thanksgiving for a fresh addition to your holiday decor.
  • Outdoor Holiday Greens: Use hardy greens like holly and evergreen boughs for seasonal outdoor arrangements. - Coming Soon!

7. Final Touches

  • Tool Maintenance: Clean and sharpen tools like saws, bypass pruners, and loppers. Even the turkey carving knife can benefit from sharpening!
  • Clean Outdoor Furniture and Gutters: Store outdoor furniture cushions to protect them from winter weather and clear gutters to prevent water damage.
  • Prepare for Frost: Have frost protection blankets ready to cover sensitive plants when temperatures drop.

These November tasks will set up your garden and indoor plants for a healthy winter season and a vibrant start in spring! Let me know if you’d like additional details on any specific task.