What To Do In Your Garden in November

September 30, 2020

What To Do In Your Garden in November

November is where spring tips into summer, and the garden knows it.  Whether you are a dedicated veggie grower or live for a stunning ornamental display, November takes the momentum of mid-spring and runs with it. Growth is fast, the soil is warm, and most temperate parts of Australia are in the sweet spot before the real heat arrives. The soil is now beautifully warm, the sunshine is reliable, and everything is growing at double speed. The frantic rush of early spring at the nurseries has settled slightly, meaning you can browse the aisles at a more relaxed pace.

It is very much a "keep your sleeves rolled up" month. Plant now, and your summer vegetables and flowers get established before the hot weather hits. If you haven't topped up your soil organic matter yet, do not wait a moment longer.

This is also the month to get ahead on water. Mulch and a good watering routine now will save your plants (and your weekends) when the temperatures climb.

November jobs include:

• Planting and sowing summer vegetables such as tomatoes, zucchini, beans, capsicum and basil
• Mulching garden beds to lock in soil moisture
• Watering deeply and less often, ideally early in the morning
• Deadheading roses and spent annuals to encourage more flowers
• Pruning spring-flowering shrubs once they’ve finished blooming
• Staking tall perennials and tying in climbers before they flop
• Weeding regularly, before weeds go to seed
• Checking for aphids, snails and caterpillars (a quick look each week is easier than a big clean-up later)
• Feeding the lawn and keeping up with the mowing

Outdoor plant of the month: Lavender (Lavandula)

Lavender is tough, fragrant and loved by bees, which makes it a good all-rounder for sunny spots. Give it full sun and well-drained soil, and it will reward you with months of flowers. Once the main flush has finished, give it a light trim (never cut back into old wood) to keep it compact and encourage a second flowering. It also looks lovely in a pot by the front door.

Outdoor plant of the month: Lavender (Lavandula)

 

Indoors:

November is the perfect time to turn your focus inward and embrace the cozy art of indoor gardening. As the weather outside warms up across Australia, our indoor spaces become cool sanctuaries from the bright late-spring sun. Bringing the lush, vibrate energy of nature inside not only purifies your air but elevates your home's aesthetic just in time for the holidays entertaining season.

Here's is your ultimate guide to cozying up your indoor space with plant care, propagation, and styling activities this November.

As the sunshine increases, give the foliage of your indoor plants a clean with a damp cloth so that they can take advantage of as much light as possible to photosynthesis and put on as much growth as possible. After all, it’s spring! 

Feed the green: Your plants are actively building new leaves. Treat them to a weak dose of liquid indoor plant food every second watering to give them the nutrients they crave.

Follow the sun: In spring the sun sits differently in the sky. Make sure your delicate plants haven't been pushed into a harsh, direct sunbeam that could scorch their leaves.

Indoor plant of the month: Monstera (Monstera deliciosa)

 

Flower of the Month: Geraldton Wax (Chamelaucium uncinatum)

A fragrant native shrub covered in delicate waxy flowers in white, pink and deep burgundy from late winter into spring. It loves full sun and free-draining soil, and it’s a lovely cut flower for the house. Prune lightly after flowering, and use a low-phosphorus native fertiliser, because many Australian natives dislike high phosphorus.

 

 

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