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Read our latest round-up of news, top tips and ideas to make the most of your garden this November!
Despite the colder weather and shorter days, there is still plenty to be done in the garden to prepare for winter and start planning for next spring!
There is plenty to do in the garden this month, so let’s get started:
• Cover your outdoor containers to protect them from the cold.
• Set greenhouse heater thermostats to activate at around 7 degrees Celsius.
• Sow November fruit and veg, such as broad beans, garlic, asparagus, and spring cabbage, using timber planters.
• Plant a tree to help the climate and celebrate National Tree Week!
• Continue clearing fallen leaves, which can be used to make leaf mould.
• Place a cover over your pond to stop leaves from falling in.
• Before the weather turns really cold, plant bare-root hedging, roses, and shrubs.
• Plant tulip bulbs, covering them with at least twice their depth of soil or compost.
• Take time to secure your garden, cover furniture, and make any last-minute repairs before the inevitably harsh winter winds arrive.
• Give sheds and fencing a coat of preservative to help them weather the winter.
Our timber planters are naturally weatherproof and perfect for winter plantings of bulbs and vegetables.
Visit either of our centres to pick up essential gardening tools!
Our Stocksmoor range is expertly handcrafted at our Midgley centre. Available off the shelf from one of our centres or hand built to your design and specification!our
• Home Bars
• Wellie Stores
• Wheelie Bin Stores
• Garden Tidies
• Kennels
Our skilled joiners and shed builders love a challenge, if you have a bespoke requirement, just sketch down a few ideas and sizes, pop down or email them in and we’ll turn your dreams into reality.
This year National Tree Week celebrates its fiftieth year by looking forward to a future filled with trees, taking place from the 22nd to the 30th of November.
National Tree Week, brought to you by The Tree Council and partners, brings together the conservation sector, volunteers and tree-lovers to mark the start of the annual tree planting season by planting thousands of trees and hedgerows and celebrating these magnificent mainstays of our landscapes.
Find out more here.
November may seem like a quiet month in the garden, but it’s actually the perfect time to prepare for the seasons ahead. With the soil still holding warmth and moisture, you can plant hardy crops, bulbs, and shrubs that will reward you in spring and summer.
For the vegetable patch, sow overwintering varieties such as garlic, onions, shallots, and broad beans like ‘Aquadulce Claudia’.
Cold-hardy greens such as spinach and chard can also be planted under cloches or in a cold frame.
If you have a greenhouse or a sunny windowsill, try growing winter salad leaves or herbs like parsley and chives.
November is also the ideal month for tulips — planting after the first frost helps prevent disease. Finish off with other spring bulbs such as daffodils, crocuses, and alliums for early colour.
In borders, add winter pansies, violas, and wallflowers to brighten dull days. It’s also an excellent time to plant bare-root fruit trees, roses, and hedging plants while the soil is workable.
Finally, tidy up: rake leaves for compost, mulch borders to protect roots, and clean your tools. A little effort now will ensure your garden bursts back to life beautifully come spring.
Firewood season is upon us! As the days get colder and winter looms on the horizon, now is the ideal time to stock up on firewood to prepare for the colder months ahead.
Both our centres stock ready to burn, kiln-dried firewood logs, as well as smokeless coal.
Stock up now and take advantage of our three hot offers on firewood – available from Brigg and Midgley. Call now to arrange your delivery*!
Our firewood centre at Midgley also stocks products such as log stores and fireside accessories – discover our full firewood range here.
Click here to view our helpful guide on choosing the right firewood logs for you.
*to our normal delivery zones
A purpose-built timber log store is the neatest and most practical outdoor firewood storage solution for ageing and drying our hardwood and softwood logs.
The Heritage, Midgley, Wortley and Stocksmoor firewood storage options are stylish additions to any outdoor space and provide an attractive way of letting the ageing and drying processes take place naturally.
Our firewood log stores are essential for anyone wishing to store large amounts of firewood and are available in a range of stock sizes, with larger bespoke sizes available to be built to order.
Visit us in-store to view our entire range of outdoor log storage options.
• Greenhouse-grown lettuce – Many salad leaves thrive in the conditions of late autumn, including ‘Little Gem’, ‘Tom Thumb’ and ‘Rouge d’Hiver’ – they provide fresh leaves throughout autumn and into winter.
• Leeks – Leeks are very hardy, so only need to be harvested as and when needed. To lift from the ground, push a fork into the soil, a little distance away from the leek to avoid damaging the stem, and loosen the soil around the roots. Gently pull the leek from the ground, as the blanched white stem could be up to 15cm long. Brush the soil off the roots and stem, and use secateurs to trim the roots.
• Brussels sprouts – Let your sprouts enjoy a few frosts before harvesting to achieve a sweeter flavour.
• Carrots – Baby carrots should be ready for harvesting 50-60 days from when they were planted, while mature carrots should be ready after about 75 days. As with leeks, only harvest when needed, as carrots can last for weeks extra in the ground during the winter months – but be sure to harvest everything before the ground freezes over.
A quick reminder on how to overwinter your geraniums – we have tried it – and it works!
Did you know that geraniums, also known as pelargoniums, don’t have a dormant period? So although you could leave them in your garden to fend for themselves over winter, the best way to ensure they survive is to dig them up and pot them indoors!
Here are our top tips for overwintering your geraniums:
• Deadhead before digging – Remove any dead leaves and flowers from your geraniums before you bring them inside. It will also be beneficial to check for and remove any pests that could potentially spread to your other houseplants.
• Avoid the first frost – Geraniums must be kept frost-free in order to survive, so make sure you move your plants indoors before the first frost of winter. If your geraniums are already in pots outdoors, move them into smaller pots before you bring them in.
• Choose a sunny spot – Your geraniums will still need light to thrive over winter, so be sure to choose an area of your house that gets a lot of sun, ideally on a windowsill. Alternatively, you can also overwinter your geraniums in a greenhouse – but they must be kept above 5°C to avoid frost damage.
• Keep up with watering – The roots of your geraniums need to be kept moist so the plant can continue to grow. Water lightly, taking care not to overwater – the soil should be moist, not wet.
Next spring, when the time comes to move your overwintered geraniums outdoors again, be sure to wait until the risk of frost has completely passed – usually around late May or early June.
Once outside, increase watering and use general liquid feed to give your plants a boost.
How to Create a New Vegetable Garden by Charles Dowding
Charles Dowding provides a step-by-step guide to creating a new vegetable garden from scratch. Learn about soil preparation, planting, and maintaining your garden for optimal growth and harvest.
Available here.
“Welcome sweet November, the season of senses and my favourite month of all.”
– Gregory F Lenz
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