11
Late autumn
What to plant in November
Bare bones revealed. The garden's structure — paths, hedges, frost-rimed seedheads — does the talking now.
Sow indoors
- Sweet peas (cold frame)
- Microgreens
Sow outdoors
- Broad beans (under cloches)
- Garlic
Flowers to plant
- Tulips (now is perfect)
- Bare-root roses
- Hellebores
Herbs to grow
- Bring rosemary cuttings indoors
- Pot up parsley for the kitchen
Beginner tips
- ✦Bag autumn leaves into bin bags with holes — free leaf mould by next summer.
- ✦Plant a bare-root rose now and it will outpace a potted one bought in May.
Common mistakes
- ✕Walking on frozen lawn — every footprint browns out for weeks.
- ✕Cutting hellebore stems — they're toxic to most pests; leave them for winter colour.
Small garden & pot options
- · A pot of tulips on a doorstep — guaranteed April joy
- · A windowsill of microgreens
Raised bed suggestions
- · Mulch empty beds with 5 cm of leaf mould or compost
- · Cover carrots with straw for winter pulling
Plant this month
If you only do one thing in November…
- →Tulips
- →Bare-root fruit bushes
- →Bare-root roses
- →Garlic
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