Garden calendar November

Planning, design and construction

Now that it's dark early outside, light at night adds atmosphere. Have you thought about a fire pit or brazier for the garden? Very atmospheric!
Is installing a porch a big dream? If you create a nice design now in our online drawing tool, your plans will already take shape. Tip: with the Sun and Shadow Simulation it is easy to determine the best spot.
Will it be dry this month? Then it is already a good time to install a gazebo or storage shed.
If you notice there's not as much blooming in your garden this month, go through our Plant Encyclopedia.

Several trees are best pruned in the winter.

Think your patio is boring and bare? Fill pots or baskets with bright winter flowers, such as Winter Violets. Mountain tea, with its red berries, is also a nice eye-catcher on the garden table.
Now is the time to plant a hedge of blackberries, raspberries or berries.
As long as it is not freezing, you can put new perennials in the open ground.
If it's not freezing, you can also put spring bulbs in the ground now. You will benefit immediately next spring!

A foggy November morning: the garden goes into dormancy.

Make a pile of leaves in a sheltered corner of the garden where animals can scavenge.
Even in November, you can have plenty of dry days. Great weather to perform maintenance on your woodwork.
Don't forget the gutters either, they must be full of autumn leaves.
Have fleece or bubble wrap ready so you can wrap plants immediately if a severe frost arrives.

Remove fallen leaves from the pond immediately.

Fragile perennials are susceptible to frost and wind. Therefore, protect them by covering the root ball with leaves or a layer of compost and place permanent screens against wind.
Remove dried fruit from fruit trees.
Continue to water plants in pots and containers regularly if it does not rain much.
Loose branches of climbing plants can be tied up now for the same reason.
Is it cold for the time of year? Get frost-prone plants inside in time. If a severe frost has not yet occurred, do clear a space in a frost-free area so you can bring plants inside quickly if necessary.
Regularly air the area where you put the plants to protect them from frost.
Don't forget to shut off the outdoor faucet when the mercury drops below zero.

The fruit bushes are probably all bare now. It is good to prune them so that when they grow out again in the spring, they will look young and fresh.
In addition, you may prune the apple tree and the pollard willow.
Other shrubs and bushes, if you have not already done so, may also be pruned provided it is not freezing.
When pruning, keep in mind that the flower heads, as with the (Climbing) Hydrangea, provide protection from the cold.

Rake fallen leaves from the lawn.

If it's a mild winter, your grass is still growing: up to about six degrees. Then mow the grass one last time this month, but preferably not too short.
If it is really already freezing and the blades are also frozen, it is better not to walk on the grass. By the way, this also applies when the ground is very wet; the pressure of your feet makes it less permeable to water!
Rake fallen leaves from the turf regularly. The leaves shut off the light supply to the grass, creating unsightly, yellow patches.

If you've kept up with weeding well over the past few months, there won't be many more weeds at this time of year. Remove any emerging weeds in the border, paths and patio immediately.

Mushrooms are part of this time of year.

Care for birds in the garden. Place a large bowl of water and refill it regularly so they can drink and bathe.
Do you find it difficult to determine the moment to stop feeding the fish in the pond? Scatter a very small amount of food and see if they come to get it. The moment they stop doing so, it's time to stop feeding.
During winter, fish move to the deeper part of the pond. All bodily functions slow down.
It is obviously important that the pond not freeze completely, nor should the surface freeze completely.
During long, cold periods, make sure to keep a "wak" in the ice, otherwise CO2 (formed by the fish and plants) cannot escape from the water and oxygen concentration becomes too low. Therefore, put a bunch of reeds or straw upright in the water. Even if the surface freezes over completely, gases can still escape through the reeds.
The vegetable garden really doesn't stand still this month. You can still harvest all kinds of things, such as leeks, cauliflower, carrots, kale, endive and beets.
If it is not freezing, plant shallots and garlic.
Remove autumn leaves from the vegetable garden and turn over the soil. Enrich the soil with organic material.
Is it raining heavily? Then cover the compost pile temporarily to make sure the material doesn't wash away.
Herbs in pots are best put in a sheltered spot now.

Yew is ideal for a dense, evergreen hedge.

Set up a bird drinker with (if freezing) shaved ice where animals can drink.
Don't clear away all your leaves: a pile of leaves is a perfect hiding and scratching spot for many animals.
Help squirrels, birds and hedgehogs during severe frosts and snow by preparing some peanuts, seeds, kernels, almonds or walnuts in a higher place, such as the garden table.
Create three or four different feeding spots in your yard so that the birds spread out and don't have to fight.
Prefer not to hang fat balls in a plastic net. This is not durable and birds can get tangled in them. An animal-friendly option is a cupboard as a shelter for animals.

Want to see other months' garden calendar back? Then take a look at the garden calendar year overview.