What to do in the garden in November in Scotland (and what to leave)
A gentle November gardening guide for Scotland, from planting bulbs to leaving the leaves.
November in Scotland is not a month that asks much of a garden.
The days are short and the light is low. The soil is cold and often heavy with rain. Frosts often arrive, the last leaves come down, and the borders fold quietly into themselves.
It's easy to feel unsure about what to do in the garden in November. Some people try to squeeze in every job before winter. Others write the whole month off.
The truth sits somewhere in the middle. There are a few small jobs that really are worth doing in November, and a good deal that is better left alone.
This guide covers both, with practical advice for Scottish gardens, balconies and pots.
Why November is a quiet month in the garden
Samhain has only just passed, and many people see it as the start of a new year. It's a lovely thought, because the garden seems to agree.
By November, most plants are dormant or close to it. Perennials have died back, deciduous trees have dropped their leaves, and growth has slowed almost to a stop. Above ground, it looks as though very little is happening.
Below ground, it's a different story. Roots are settling in. Bulbs are waiting. Seeds that fell in autumn are lying in the soil, ready for the cold that helps many of them germinate in spring.
Nothing is wrong. The garden is resting on purpose, and November is the month that the rest begins.
Conditions do vary across Scotland. Gardens on the west coast and in cities tend to be milder and wetter, while inland and exposed gardens often see earlier and harder frosts. Over time, you'll learn your own garden's pattern, and that knowledge is worth more than any calendar.
I've written a little more about this quiet part of the year in this month's newsletter.
Three small jobs for November
If you only do three things this month, make them these.
1. Plant tulip bulbs
November is the ideal month for planting tulips in Scotland. Unlike daffodils, which can go in from September onwards, tulips prefer to wait until the soil has cooled. Planting them a little later also helps reduce the risk of tulip fire, a fungal disease that can spoil the flowers.
Plant each bulb roughly three times as deep as the bulb is tall, with the pointed end facing up, and leave a few centimetres between them. Choose a spot that doesn't sit in standing water, because bulbs can rot in waterlogged soil.
You don't need a border. A large pot by the back door works beautifully. Use a pot with drainage holes, fill it with compost mixed with a little grit, and raise it on pot feet or a couple of bricks so the rain can drain away.
Water the bulbs in once, then leave them be.
2. Leave the seed heads standing
Seed heads are one of the kindest things you can leave in a November garden. Teasel, rudbeckia, fennel and many ornamental grasses feed birds when natural food runs low, and they look beautiful with a touch of frost.
Leave some hollow stems standing too. Ladybirds and other insects use them to shelter through the cold. You can cut everything back in early spring, just as new growth begins to show.
3. Gather up some leaves
Fallen leaves are not rubbish. They're the raw material for leaf mould, one of the best soil improvers there is, and it's free.
Rake leaves off lawns, paths and ponds. Then pack them damp into a bin bag with a few holes poked in it, or pile them into a simple cage of chicken wire. Tuck it out of the way and forget about it. In a year or two, you'll have dark, crumbly leaf mould to spread on your beds - a great mulch and soil conditioner.
Leave some leaves where they fall, too, in a quiet corner or under a hedge. Hedgehogs, beetles and other wildlife will be glad of them.
A few more jobs if you have the time
Plant bare-root trees, hedging and roses. The bare-root season runs from roughly November to March, while plants are dormant. Bare-root plants are usually cheaper than potted ones and settle in well. Soak the roots in a bucket of water for an hour or so before planting, and avoid planting when the ground is frozen or waterlogged.
Protect your pots. Lift pots onto pot feet so they can drain. Terracotta and other unglazed pots can crack in hard frost, so move them somewhere sheltered. Bring anything frost-tender into a greenhouse, porch or bright, cool room.
Add a light mulch. A thin layer of compost, leaf mould or well-rotted organic matter over bare soil protects it from heavy rain and feeds the life beneath it. Keep it clear of the stems of your plants.
How to tell when the ground is ready for planting
Whether you're planting bulbs or bare-root trees, the soil matters more than the date.
Pick up a handful of soil and squeeze it. If it sticks together in a wet, claggy lump, it's too wet to plant into, so wait for a drier spell. If it crumbles gently in your hand, it's ready. And if the ground is frozen solid, leave it until it thaws.
Planting into soil that is too wet can damage its structure and leave roots sitting in water, which is one of the quickest ways to lose a young plant.
What to leave alone in November
Knowing what not to do matters just as much.
Don't cut everything back. Cut back plants with diseased leaves and soft perennials that collapse into mush. Leave the rest for wildlife and winter structure.
Don't feed your plants. Most are dormant, so there's nothing to feed. Feeding now can encourage soft new growth that frost will damage.
Don't tidy the soil bare. Bare soil washes away in heavy rain and loses the life within it. Leave some cover. Even better, cover bare soil with a layer of leaf mould or bark mulch to protect it.
Try not to walk on frozen lawns. Frosted grass can be damaged by footsteps, and the marks show later.
If you only have twenty minutes
Some weeks, twenty minutes is all there is. That's enough.
Plant a pot of tulips.
Check your pots are raised and draining.
Leave the seed heads where they are.
Gather one bag of leaves for leaf mould.
Then go inside and warm up. The garden will carry on without you.
November gardening without a garden
You don't need a garden to enjoy November outdoors. A few pots by the door, a window box or a bright windowsill all count.
Plant a pot of tulips. Hang a bird feeder where you can see it from the window. Look for seed heads in your local park and notice how they change as the weeks go by. Spend five minutes outside with a hot drink and see what you spot.
Noticing is gardening too, and it costs nothing.
November gardening questions
When should I plant tulip bulbs in Scotland?
November is ideal, and planting can continue into December if the ground isn't frozen. Planting later helps reduce the risk of tulip fire.
Can I still plant in November?
Yes. November is a good time to plant bare-root trees, hedging and roses, and to plant spring bulbs. Just avoid planting into ground that is frozen or waterlogged.
What should I do with fallen leaves?
Clear them from lawns, paths and ponds, and use them to make leaf mould. Leave a few in quiet corners for wildlife.
What is leaf mould, and how long does it take?
Leaf mould is crumbly, dark soil improver made from fallen leaves that have been slowly broken down by fungi. It usually takes one to two years, and shredding the leaves first, by mowing over them, helps them break down faster.
Is it too late to plant daffodils in November?
No, Daffodils can be planted from September onwards.
Should I cut back perennials in November?
Only some. Cut back plants with diseased leaves and any that collapse into mush. Leave strong seed heads and some stems standing until early spring.
A gentler way to see November
It would be easy to see November as the dull gap between autumn colour and spring bulbs.
But it's the quiet middle of the garden's year, and the quiet matters. Roots settle. Seeds wait. The soil rests and renews itself.
So if you only do three small things this month, plant some bulbs, leave the seed heads and gather a few leaves, you've done plenty.
The rest can wait for spring.
The garden is resting on purpose.
You're allowed to as well.
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Nicola
Breagha Garden Design
