How gleefully you view November gardening really comes down to where you live. Northerners are saddled with a lot of chores that they do not much care for in November. But Southerners delight in the cool days and slower pace of fall vegetable gardening. Even if your garden is already threatened by snow, though, it is important to get out there and take care of business: You will be glad you did come spring.
After the cold weather lays everything bare, you can more clearly see the architecture or "bones" of the garden. This is a great time to record critiques of your garden in a garden journal, so that, for next year, you can plan to add hardscape or evergreen shrubs to improve the architecture.
Perform these November garden tasks according to region, whether it be to plant something, to tidy things up, or to decorate for the holidays.
All Regions
Rake leaves off the lawn to use in making leaf mold, mulch, or compost.
Add organic matter to flower borders and other garden beds.
Cover your compost pile so that the rain does not leach out its nutrients.
MIDWEST
Continue harvesting cool-season vegetables (such as Brussels sprouts) and those that grow underground (such as carrots).
Keep watering trees and shrubs until the ground freezes.
There is much you can do to protect a rose bush for the winter. Mound up soil around the crown and cover its bud union. Tie down the canes of climbing roses so that high winds do not whip them around.
Continue to remove garden debris. If it is free of pests and diseases, you can compost it, otherwise, dispose of it in the trash.
In zone 6, plant spring bulbs.
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