Garden Maintenance in November

Late autumn and winter are the most vital times of year in the garden: true spring is the busiest time, but your actions in November and December will set the agenda for the rest of the year and if you do manage to get a lot done, then your garden will be better for it.


Whilst there are many jobs that need doing this month, today we shall focus on the less glamorous, yet essential maintenace jobs that you need to do this month to ensure your garden's success in the spring/summer.


You should only really get on with jobs when the weather allows you too: it is not always suitable. Never try to get onto the soil when it is wet - you will do more damage than good to the garden. Don't use this as an excuse though: if you are able to work steadily through November and December you will make life much easier later on.


The first maintenance task is to clear up leaves and use them for composting. You should endeavour to collect leaves as soon as they fall. This is because the longer they lie on the ground, the more difficult they are to clear up. Not only do they smother plants, they create perfect conditions for fungal diseases and slugs to thrive, both of which will damage your garden. Leaves can be used to make leaf-mould, and thus should always be composted as this is a valuable commodity. Never burn them or throw them away, instead put them into a leaf pen. Knock four posts into the ground and stretch mesh wire around and over the top. Fill the pen up with the leaves. They should rot quickly giving you space. What remains of them can be used to make the soil moisture retentive, make the perfect mulch or as potting compost.



You should also look at draining down or lagging all outside water pipes. Frozen pipes can cause major disruption to you and your home. You could find yourself without water, being forced to brave the cold because your central heating stops working or having to deal with an expensive clean up operation if your water pipe bursts. Use appropriate lagging to insulate your pipework. Lagging can be purchased from most DIY stores but simple household items such as towels can also be used to wrap up pipes and keep frost at bay. If you are wanting to lag outdoor pipes you need to make sure that the lagging you are using is waterproof or your pipes will not be adequately protected.




Now is also the time to shred wooden material  like hedge trimmings and the remains of herbaceous plants. By shredding them into small pieces, they can be composted for three months and then spread back on the garden as weed-free mulch.


Also, think about your vegetable crop for next year: most of it won't need to be planted yet, but planning in advance is always a good idea!




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