In Your Garden

November

November is an important month in our Sussex gardens: the soil is often still workable, frosts may be intermittent, and there is time to plant spring bulbs, roses, trees and shrubs before winter fully sets in. The key is to work with the weather rather than on waterlogged or frozen ground.

Protect tender plants; prune rambling roses; and make the most of any dry spell to improve beds and borders. Don't rush to cut everything down — seed-heads, grasses and standing stems can make a winter garden look beautiful while supporting wildlife.

Plant tulips now, along with any remaining daffodils, alliums and other spring bulbs. Tulips are particularly suited to November planting to help reduce the risk of tulip fire disease.

Lift dahlias after frost blackens the foliage if you prefer to store the tubers, or leave them in the ground in sheltered, free-draining soil. Top with a thick dry mulch. Lift begonias and cannas in colder spots.

Tidy perennial borders selectively. Remove diseased foliage and collapsing stems, but leave attractive seed-heads and some hollow stems for wildlife and winter interest. Divide overcrowded hardy perennials while the soil is still workable.

Bare-root roses, hedging, deciduous trees and shrubs can be planted once they become available. Water them in and firm the soil gently around the roots.

November marks the start of the bare-root planting season. Plant beech, hornbeam, hawthorn and deciduous trees and shrubs when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.

Prepare roses for winter. Shorten tall bush roses by about a third to reduce wind-rock. Prune rambling roses after flowering if not already done. Leave the main pruning of bush roses until late winter.

Make leaf mould. Collect fallen leaves from lawns, paths and ponds. Store them in a wire cage or perforated bags. They will gradually become excellent soil conditioner for woodland plants and borders.

Plant garlic and broad beans. Harvest leeks, parsnips and Brussels sprouts as needed. Stake tall brassicas against wind, remove yellowing leaves and protect crops from pigeons with netting.

Prune established apples and pears during dormancy, and prune gooseberries and red and white currants. Avoid pruning stone fruit such as cherries and plums in winter because of silver leaf disease risk.

November is an excellent opportunity to improve the garden's structure while plants are dormant.

Remove old, spotted leaves from stemless hellebores to show off the emerging flowers and reduce disease.

Take hardwood cuttings. Propagate shrubs such as cornus, salix, forsythia and some hydrangeas.

Improve the soil. Spread well-rotted garden compost over empty beds and under established shrubs. On heavy Sussex clay, wait until the soil is workable rather than sticky and saturated.