As autumn draws to a close and winter creeps in, November is a busy month for gardeners across Sheffield. Question is, do it yourself or call the pros?
The focus now turns to protecting plants, planting dormant stock and tidying up in preparation for the colder months ahead. With a bit of planning and elbow grease, you can set your garden up beautifully for next spring. If you don’t have time, hire Scape Easy to do it for you. But I f you do have the time and energy and want to get stuck in, here’s what we advise you do.
Tender plants such as fuchsias and pelargoniums need shelter from frost, so move them into a greenhouse, shed or other frost-free space. For pots that must stay outdoors, wrap them in bubble wrap or hessian and raise them onto pot feet or bricks to avoid waterlogging. Don’t forget to drain and insulate outdoor taps and pipes to prevent damage when temperatures drop.
Clear fallen leaves from lawns, paths and ponds to keep your garden safe and healthy. The collected leaves make an excellent leaf mould for next year’s compost. Borders also benefit from a tidy; cut back spent perennials but leave ornamental grasses and seed heads for winter structure and wildlife. Empty beds can be dug over to expose pests to the frost, then mulched with compost or manure to enrich the soil.
November is the ideal time for planting bare-root trees, shrubs, roses and hedging plants while they’re dormant. It’s also perfect for planting tulip bulbs – cooler soil reduces the risk of tulip fire. Garlic, autumn onions and shallots can go in now too, and in milder spots you can sow hardy peas and broad beans for an early spring crop.
Prune apple and pear trees, as well as currants and gooseberries, to shape and strengthen them. Avoid pruning plums and cherries until summer. Take hardwood cuttings from shrubs and fruit bushes for easy propagation.
Support local wildlife by putting out fat balls and seeds, and keep bird baths topped up with fresh water. Create log or leaf piles for hibernating hedgehogs and insects. Finally, clean and oil your garden tools, scrub down the greenhouse, and start planning next year’s layout, because spring always comes around faster than you think!
If the above is all a bit much for you, hire one of the best teams of gardeners in Sheffield: hire Scape Easy!
Call us on 0114 2309673 or email us at info@scapeasy.co.uk.
