Winter is coming...
Now’s the season for woolly jumpers, cosy fires and comfort foods. Outside, the garden glows with autumnal colour. Dogwood sets borders alight with its fiery stems. Delicate cyclamen bloom beneath sleepy trees. Newly-potted containers hold the potential of winter colour, while spring bulbs are preparing for their moment in the sun. It’s worth remembering that a little time spent in the garden now will pay dividends over the coming months.
Gardening is a unique activity which offers both the feelings of serenity and productivity in your own space. The feeling of the warm sun on your skin, breathing in the fragrant earth scented air, all the while contributing to the environment can be done without worrying about all of life’s challenges.
Not only does working in a garden provide you with a general sense of calm but also has a long term effect on alleviating anxiety, depression and even attention deficit disorders. This brings perspective to the ultimate scope of our problems and helps to reduce the sense of overwhelming stress. Greener environment promotes resilience in dealing with everyday fatigue.
Here’s your to-do list of gardening jobs in November…
Top Tips for Laying Turf in November
- Use a wheelbarrow to transport rolls of turf from the pallet to the lawn area. At this time of year, rolls may be wetter and heavier which means that they’re harder to carry.
- Make little stacks of turf along the edge of the lawn.
- Always use turf laying boards.
- Avoid laying turf on frozen soil.
- Turf can stay rolled up for up to 48 hours in cooler weather. Try not to leave it any longer than 2 days though or you risk losing some of its vigour.
- Water your turf as soon as you’ve finished laying it. Check daily to make sure the soil hasn’t dried out. You may not need to water it every day but stay vigilant. If it dries out, you won’t get the lawn of your dreams.
- Don’t walk on your new turf without laying boards for at least 4 weeks.
- Never walk on frozen grass.
Plant spring bulbs and tulips
November’s a good time to plant spring flowering bulbs, whether in the ground, pots or containers. Avoid any that show signs of decay or damage, and plant three times to the depth of the bulb. If the soil is heavy, add grit for drainage as bulbs don’t like to sit in water.
If you’re feeling creative, try ‘lasagne’ planting, by layering spring bulbs according to their flowering period. For example, at the bottom of your pot, plant tulip bulbs which are usually the last to flower. Cover them over with soil then plant a layer of bulbs which flower before tulips, such as daffodils. Cover over and continue the process finishing with an early blooming bulb, like snowdrops. It’s a great way to get the most from one pot and gives you continuous colour throughout spring.
Garden maintenance
Leaves are a commodity in any garden, perfect for adding to both mulch and compost once your leaf pile has transformed into mould.
Firstly, separate your leaves and keep them in a garden container, bag or create a heap in a quiet corner of your garden. The bacteria that break the leaves down to mould need oxygen to work, so make sure you puncture any bags you collect your leaves in.
Raise any patio containers by adding bricks or feet underneath, this will protect your plants and soil from becoming waterlogged during winter showers. If you are expecting an especially harsh winter, it’s best to insulate any outside plant containers with bubble wrap to protect them from frost.
November is the perfect time to make bonfires. Where allowed, create bonfires out of any garden waste that can’t be added to compost. Check around your garden for any sign of plant disease, a bonfire is a perfect way to dispose of any infected plant parts and reduce the chances of the disease spreading.
Shop and plant winter flowering plants
But why wait until spring for colour, when you can have it throughout winter? Most garden nurseries will now be stocked with winter pansies, polyanthus and primroses. Consider planting these outside your windows, beside pathways, or just outside your door so you can easily appreciate your floral displays throughout the season. Hanging baskets, window boxes and patio pots are ideal for showcasing these winter blooms.
Finally, give garden wildlife a helping hand by filling bird feeders and leaving a fresh water supply. Try building insect hotels by drilling holes in old logs, or leave a corner of the garden wild, allowing creatures somewhere to rest over winter.