Sowing in November will take the pressure off in spring. Getting as much planted as you can in November, will save you time when temperatures rise again. There is another advantage though: The roots of your plants will help to keep the soil together and stop it being eroded by harsh weather. Soil can really degrade if left bare during harsh winter storms and planting helps to prevent this.
Avoid disappointment by appreciating that most of the crops will not be ready for eating in the winter months and spring is when you’ll get your reward. However, some, like winter salads, take a matter of weeks and pak choi, as a cut and come again, can be ready for eating in little over a month.
Apologies - this is the worst sort of blog with lots of links off to other things but there really is so much you can start growing in November that there is no other way to do it! So zip through the list and there are detailed instructions on the links for the ones you decide to grow.
Fruit & Vegetables to be sown directly in November
There are many fruits and vegetables which enjoy growing during cold weather it
is a perfect time of year for planting cool-season vegetables and bare-root fruit trees, which are dormant when planted, but then have the full season to grow as soon as temperatures increase in spring.
10 Fruit to plant outdoors in November
Click though for step by step guides
Plant fruit trees now while they are dormant and take the opportunity to plant a variety of fruit bushes tooso these can get established as soon as temperatures rise.
Fruit bushes like blueberries and gooseberries do well in containers and strawberry plants are fantastic in patio planters.
Prepare the soil with lots of organic matter for planting rhubarb crowns.
10 Vegetables to Plant outdoors in November
- Kale
- Endive
- Winter salad such as Mustard Spinach
- Broad Beans
- Peas
- Swiss chard
- Spring onions
- Pak Choi
- Shallots
- Garlic
Look out for hardy seed varieties to ensure that they are suitable to over winter.
Some crops such as winter salads, like winter gem and lambs lettuce, can be grown now but will need to be sown under cloches or cold frame for protection from harsh weather. The Light-Booster Cold Frame Pictured is the perfect choice for winter gardening as its light reflecting backing makes the best use of all available light and bounces it back onto your plants. Its a step up from your regular cold frame and something you will use all year.
Hardy peas and broad beans can be sown directly in autumn which will bring your harvest forwards by a few weeks.
Hardier varieties of spring onion such as ‘Performer’, can be sown in autumn for winter and spring harvests. They do well in patio planters and can be protected with cloches.
Pak choi can be planted as a cut and come again crop with leaves being picked for stir fries in a few weeks.
For onion, shallots and garlic choose sets now rather than seeds. And how about trying elephant garlic which huge bulbs with a mild flavour?
Vegetable seeds to sow indoors in November
Don't forget a few indoor plants too. Herbs such as basil, parsley, dill, and chives as well as chilli peppers can be sown all year round, to be grown indoors on a bright windowsill.
Enjoy whatever you plant in November! To see what to plant in December look here December Planting.