We had a reasonably warm and sunny October – and so far, there’s been no sign of the first frosts.
It means you’re probably still enjoying some of the summer colour in your garden. We still have our cosmos, geraniums, gaillaridas, dahlias, begonias and a few others still going strong. I’ll just keep deadheading to keep the display as long as possible.
Over the next few weeks we expect the weather to change – it’s already starting to get wetter and colder. There’ll be lots more fallen leaves to sweep up! And you’ll be giving some thought to how to ‘over winter’ plants like dahlias.
Here’s a few of the gardening jobs you might want to do this November:
Plant tulip bulbs now
Whilst many of the spring bulbs, like daffodils, muscari and crocuses, can be planted from September onwards, tulips should not be planted until November. And whilst tulips can come back every year, you’ll generally always get the best from them in the first year, so it’s worth getting new bulbs if you want the display to be top quality next year. If, like me, you haven’t got around to planting your other bulbs yet, you can still do it now.
Introduce new roses into the garden
Buy them now as bare root plants. Plant them out and they’ll have time to settle themselves in before next summer. It’s a great value way to buy roses, too.
It’s not too late to plant edibles
You can still plant garlic, shallots and onions outdoors and get a head start on next year. It’s a good idea to protect them from really harsh frosts with a covering of fleece.
Feed the birds
Bird feeder in a tree
You may have been doing this all year round, but if not, this is the time of year when birds need a little extra help. Make sure there’s a water source and leave out some food for them daily. Choose high energy and high fat foods, like peanuts, suet blocks, sunflower seeds or mealworms.
The RSPB have some great tips on what to feed the birds in autumn and winter.
Go gently with the lawn…
…Especially if it becomes very wet. We will soon be getting to the point where the grass no longer needs cutting, but in the meantime, if you are going to brave one or two last cuts, keep the blades high on the mower so as not to scalp the grass, which is growing much more slowly now.
Don’t forget your indoor bulbs
If you’ve potted up some hyacinths, daffodills or amaryllis for Christmas, don’t forget to keep en eye on them. Make sure they don’t dry out or you won’t get your Christmas flowers!
Brush up those leaves
For some people who are lucky enough to have lots of trees in or around their garden, this can be a major job at this time of year! Remember, you can collect up fallen leaves, store them in bin bags and use them to make leafmould, which is really good for your beds. If you’re not sure how to do this, take a look at Monty Don’s guide to making leaf mould. But, if any of your roses had blackspot this year, you need to be careful to collect these leaves up separately and dispose of them, to guard against the same problem coming back next year.
However – don’t be too tidy in the garden… think about the beneficial insects that need somewhere to spend the winter. Try to create some accomodation for the bugs using old twigs, leaves and other items. These can be piled up in a corner and left well alone – the bugs will soon settle themselves in and feel at home… ready to help you out in the garden come spring.
Bring potted herbs indoors
If you have pots of chives or parsley in the garden, you can bring them in and put them on a windowsill so that you can continue to have them on hand in the kitchen over winter.
In need of some help in your garden?
Check out the local gardening companies we have listed in our Local Directory for Lowton and Golborne if you need help in the garden – from mowing the lawn to total landscaping projects.
About the author:
My name is Gemma. I’m the editor of Lowton & Golborne News and a very keen but amateur gardener. I mainly enjoy gorwing flowers in my garden in Golborne, as well as a little bit of growing my own in raised beds. You can follow my garden on Instagram @gandtgarden.
Get Lowton and Golborne News like this by email:
Never miss out on news and information for Lowton and Golborne. Sign up to our weekly email, Lowton and Golborne Update.
Did you know? You can find local businesses in our Local Directory for Lowton and Golborne
Next time you need a trader, cake baker, hairdresser or accountant, use our Local Directory to choose to support a small, local business first. Take a look at all the businesses we have listed.