Monty Don shares ‘the most important & best job’ gardeners need to do in November for a garden that blooms all spring
MONTY Don has urged gardeners to do one crucial job this November, to ensure gardens bloom all spring long.
Now that summer is well and truly behind us, you may think that it is time to hang up your gardening gloves for another year.
However, in order to keep your garden protected over winter, there are still some key jobs that need to be done.
Tender plants need to be protected before the winter frosts come and lawns need to be given some TLC.
Some plants, such as roses, should also be pruned and soil should be given some extra care.
However, if you don’t have time to do all of those jobs, the gardening legend revealed that there is one key job you should not forget to do.
Writing in his blog, The Gardener’s World presenter said that this job is crucial for ensuring your garden is brought to life next spring with colourful blooms.
Monty explained that the “most important” job gardeners should tackle this November is planting tulip bulbs.
“November it is tulip-planting time.
“This is, to my mind, the most important and best job of the month. It is actually something that can be done at any time between now and Christmas although the earlier they get into the ground the earlier they will flower,” he said.
Tulips are one of the most beautiful flowers that you can grow in your garden, and come in countless different colours and shades.
Decide whether you want to plant your bulbs in pots or in flower beds, and then head to your local garden centre to pick out your favourite varieties.
When planting tulips in flower beds, Monty recommended ensuring that they have good drainage, to give them the chance to return next year.
He said: “The essential thing with all tulips is to make sure that they have good drainage. T
“This matters less if they are to be treated as annuals and dug up after they have flowered but even so they will be happier with plenty of grit or sand added to heavy soil.
“If they are to be permanent it is important to plant them as deep as you can – I often use a crowbar to make a hole 12 inches or more deep – and the deeper they are the stronger and straighter the stem will be.”
The gardening guru added: ‘”If you are growing them in a container then drainage is easier and they do not have to be so deep and can also be planted in layers – a tulip lasagne, with an earlier variety such as ‘Orange Emperor’ planted deepest that will flower first, followed by a mid-season variety like ‘Negrita’ planted above it and then finally, in the top layer a late-season one such as ‘Queen of Night’.”
November gardening jobs
The Sun’s Gardening Editor, Veronica Lorraine, shares the tasks to do this month.
Get your garlic in a sunny spot of ground, and you can also plant sweet peas and cut and come again lettuce to see you over the Winter.
Depending on where you live – think about protecting your more tender plants – one brutal frost can set you back psychologically and financially. I’ve had success with plastic cloches which can look nice on smaller plants rather than the bulky fleece. But for plants like bananas, cut them back and wrap them up.
If all the leaves are off your apple tree, you could consider cutting it back. The usual dead, diseased, damaged and crossing branches should be pruned. It will open the tree up and encourage strong Spring growth.
You can either prune your roses the usual way, by cutting off side stems and tying in – or experiment like Niff Barnes – and create incredible sculptures by stripping all the leaves and bending the main framework into swirls and shapes. Its also a good time to take cuttings.
Hellebores are great winter cover – get them in the ground now – along with bright cyclamen for splashes of colour.
Clean your greenhouse – wipe down all the panes – fairy liquid and water is absolutely fine – and work up a sweat by giving it a good tidy and sort out before it’s too cold to be out there too long.
Sounds simple but rake your lawn regularly – you don’t want the grass to die back under mounds of old rotting leaves. Keep the leaves to make leaf mould.