Gardening in November: What to do and what to plant?

In France, local custom says that all planting should be finished by Saint Catherine’s day, November 25th as after this day there is too much danger of severe cold. In November, gardeners in France typically perform tasks such as the final cut for lawns if there are no frosts, raking and removing fallen leaves, and cutting back spent foliage and flowers of herbaceous perennials

Things to do in your garden in November:

• Protecting Plants from the cold: As November can be a cold month in France, it is important to protect your plants from the cold. You can do this by covering them with blankets or burlap, or by moving potted plants indoors
• Tidy borders by removing any dead or dying plants, leaves, or debris
• Adding compost: Adding compost to your garden in November can help improve soil quality and prepare it for the next growing season
• Plant bulbs for spring flowers, such as tulips, daffodils, and crocuses
• Plant new shrubs, as the cooler temperatures and increased rainfall can help them establish strong roots before the winter
• Begin winter pruning of fruit trees
• Plant garlic cloves
• Harvest cool-season vegetables, such as lettuce, broccoli, and greens

Things to plant in November

In November, gardeners in France should focus on indoor planting and cloning of outside plants. Indoor herbs are always great to grow in a sunny windowsill, and herbs are the most popular indoor plant to grow throughout the winter months. Flowers can also be grown indoors to brighten up the house. It is also a good time to sow under cover for leeks, leaf beet, beetroot (all varieties), basil, chard, and Brussels sprouts. After mid-month, tomatoes, cucumber, courgette, squash, pumpkin, and sweetcorn can be sowed. Outside, all potatoes, broad beans, lettuce, spinach, peas, salad onion, early and autumn brassicas, radish, leeks, leaf beet, carrots, and parsley can be sowed.

Did you manage to get all of your October tasks done? Maybe it’s good to make a start on your to-do list for December too…

Looking for more on gardening?

The climate in France is generally milder than the UK, allowing for a wider variety of plants to thrive. Many properties in France come with large gardens, providing ample space for various gardening activities. So if you’re looking for inspiration or information, take a look at our gardening page