November is a crucial month for UK gardeners. As temperatures drop and daylight shortens, it’s time to tackle your November garden tasks — from pruning fruit trees and planting bulbs to feeding your soil with organic fertilisers like Ecoworm Soil Extract.
The garden might look quieter, but what you do now sets the foundation for a healthy, thriving spring. Let’s dig into what’s best to plant, prune, and prepare this month.
Vegetable Garden: Preparing for Winter
Your veg patch still needs a little love before winter truly sets in.
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Check garlic and onions. Go through stored bulbs and look for soft spots or mould — especially around the necks. Remove any that show rot to prevent it spreading.
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Inspect potatoes. Regularly check stored potatoes and remove any that are damaged or sprouting.
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Lift parsnips after frost. Once frost hits, parsnips develop a sweeter flavour — nature’s reward for waiting!
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Protect from frost. Cover celery and cauliflower with straw or fleece. For cauliflower, bend an outer leaf over the curd as a natural shield.
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Build raised beds. If you’ve been thinking about it, November is the perfect month. Raised beds improve drainage and make winter planting easier.
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Sow hardy broad beans (‘Aquadulce Claudia’). In mild areas, sow now for early crops next year (RHS advice).
Soil tip: Before the ground freezes, water your soil with Ecoworm Soil Extract. It’s full of beneficial microbes that keep the soil active through winter and help your spring crops get off to a strong start.
Fruit Garden: Prune, Plant & Protect
This is pruning and planting season for your fruit trees and bushes.
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Prune apple and pear trees. Remove dead, damaged, or crossing branches to open up the canopy. This improves air circulation and reduces disease risk (Thompson & Morgan).
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Skip the plums for now. Don’t prune plum trees until midsummer to prevent silver leaf fungus.
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Plant berry bushes. Bare-root raspberries, currants, and gooseberries can go in now while the soil is still workable.
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Tidy strawberries. Cut away old leaves and remove runners.
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Check stored fruit. Inspect stored apples and pears weekly and remove any that show rot.
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Plant new trees and shrubs. November planting gives roots time to establish before hard frosts arrive.
Planting tip: Feed Ecoworm Soil Extract into your watering can when planting new trees or bushes. Made from nutrient-rich lake sediments, it strengthens roots and improves soil structure naturally.
Lawn Care: Simple Steps for a Strong Spring
Your lawn might be growing slowly, but don’t ignore it completely.
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Aerate the soil. Use a garden fork or aerator to relieve compaction and improve drainage.
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Remove fallen leaves. Regularly rake or blow leaves off the grass to keep it breathing.
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Raise your mower blades. If you mow, set the height around 4 cm to protect grass from frost damage.
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Feed the soil, not the grass. Use Ecoworm Soil Extract to maintain microbial life in your lawn soil over winter — helping it bounce back greener in spring.
Trees & Shrubs: Prune, Plant & Protect
Now’s the time to tidy, prune, and plant before the deep winter chill.
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Trim hardy climbers. Lightly prune honeysuckle, wisteria, and clematis to control shape, but save major cuts for spring.
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Plant bare-root roses and shrubs. November is perfect while the soil is moist but not frozen.
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Tidy evergreen hedges. Give hedges a final trim so they look neat through winter.
Pro tip: When planting new shrubs or roses, mix in Ecoworm Soil Extract or Sapropel Extract with water. It helps roots establish faster and supports healthy soil microbes.
Flower Garden: Get Ready for Spring Blooms
A little prep now will reward you with colour in the months ahead.
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Plant spring bulbs. Tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and hyacinths can still be planted in November. Plant tulips last if you’re interplanting with bedding.
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Protect tender plants. Move delicate perennials to sheltered spots or cover with fleece.
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Cut back perennials. Trim herbaceous plants that have died back — but leave some seed heads for wildlife.
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Divide overcrowded clumps. Split large perennials and replant them.
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Mulch and feed. Water with Ecoworm Sapropel Extract or spread worm compost to replenish nutrients and improve soil structure.
For bulb inspiration, visit House & Garden’s planting guide.
Wildlife & Winter Prep
Don’t forget the little visitors that share your garden.
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Leave a few leaf piles for hedgehogs and insects to shelter.
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Keep bird feeders topped up and birdbaths clean and ice-free.
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Create small log or stone piles in quiet corners for overwintering creatures.
Learn more from the National Trust’s winter wildlife tips.
Final Garden Jobs Before Winter
Before you hang up your gloves:
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Clean and oil tools. Try Ecoworm Potassium Soap to clean greenhouse glass, pots, and tools naturally — it’s biodegradable and perfect for gardeners.
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Check ties and stakes. Make sure young trees are supported against winter winds.
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Drain hoses and water butts. Prevent frost damage by emptying and insulating taps.
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Organise your shed. Sharpen tools and label stored seeds for next spring.
Final Thoughts: Nurture Now, Flourish Later
November might seem like the garden’s quiet season, but it’s actually the time to prepare for success. Feed your soil, protect your plants, and tidy your tools — and your future self will thank you when spring bursts back to life.
With a little help from Ecoworm’s organic range, your garden will stay healthy, balanced, and full of life all winter long.
Explore all our natural garden products at www.ecoworm.co.uk