November tends to be a bit of a tidying up month, although we try to avoid the phrase “putting the garden to bed”. That suggests that gardening is done and dusted, but through the winter there will still be lovely days when a bit of time spent in the garden will do you and the garden good.

If you’re lucky enough to have trees near you, then this month you’ll be seeing the fallen leaves from deciduous varieties. If you have the space; collect and store the leaves in leaf mould bins and in a couple of years, you’ll have a really good soil conditioner. If you don’t have the space, it is still a good idea to clear leaves from paths (to keep them safe) and lawns (to maximise the light that reaches the grass over the winter) but leave them on borders as a natural mulch.

Last month we suggested investing in next spring by planting bulbs and you can still do this now and November is the perfect time for planting tulips. A pot of spring bulbs by the front door is an inexpensive way of adding cheer to the late winter and early spring and heralding the arrival of longer days.

Tulips in April

You can also get planting in the kitchen garden. November is an ideal time to plant onion sets, garlic, over-wintering broad beans, rhubarb crowns and fruit trees or bushes.

Emerging Garlic in November

We’ll finish on tidying up again, if you have a pond, then try to clear fallen leaves and dead vegetation from the water. Always leave material by the pond for a day or so to make sure that any wildlife can make its way back into the water.