November brings the garden into a quiet yet crucial period as plants settle into dormancy, and houseplants offer a fresh green retreat indoors. With Boma Garden Centre’s selection of outdoor and indoor plants, you can embrace November’s unique tasks to prepare for winter, support wildlife, and make your indoor spaces vibrant with foliage.
Boma’s Top 8 November Gardening Jobs & Tips
1: Tending to Outdoor Plants: Prep for Winter’s Chill
November is a pivotal month to protect outdoor plants from frost and the risk of winter wet. Start by mulching around the bases of your shrubs and perennials with organic matter, such as well-rotted manure or multi-purpose compost with John Innes. This layer helps to retain soil warmth and moisture while improving soil conditions for the coming growing season.
Soil is still workable—an ideal time to plant new additions of Camellias, Erica, and other shrubs. Carefully dig planting holes for new plants and young plants, adding extra mulch to protect their roots. For tender plants or container displays in large pots, lift and place them in a frost free place or sheltered spot if possible. Raise pots off the ground with pot feet to improve drainage and prevent root rot.
There’s still time to plant tulips and other packet spring bulbs like daffodils and crocuses in garden beds and borders. For a natural look, scatter bulbs freely and plant at twice their height’s depth. Visit Boma for special offers on packet spring bulbs this November – get ready for a burst of colour next spring!
2: Essential Garden Clean-Up
November is all about tidying up fallen leaves, spent foliage, and garden debris. This keeps your garden tidy and supports protecting plants from diseases that overwinter in wet weather. Gather up fallen leaves for compost or mulch, or create bin bags of leaf mould—a rich, organic matter ideal for future use on flower beds.
Trim back dead or damaged stems on perennials and shrubs, but leave some seed heads for your feathered friends through the winter months. Removing weeds and cutting back on overcrowded clumps ensures healthy airflow and reduces the risk of grey mould. Use a sturdy garden fork to aerate soil in beds and borders, and clear weeds before winter sets in.
3: Wildlife Support: A Helping Hand for Garden Visitors
Cold weather means birds and hedgehogs need extra support. Installing bird feeders and feed will attract a wide range of birds. Secure feeders with chicken wire if squirrels are a problem.
Consider options like the Peanuts Bird Feed, which offers high energy, or the Sunflower Hearts Bird Feed, perfect for attracting a variety of species. The Premium Seed Mix is a great all-rounder, containing a balanced selection of seeds to appeal to many birds. For those looking to attract larger birds, Fat Balls are a delightful treat.
When it comes to feeders, Boma stocks everything from squirrel-proof bird feeders to window feeders, allowing you to choose the best fit for your outdoor space. This winter, give the birds a helping hand with Boma’s range of bird care products, and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature right in your backyard.
4: Transition to Indoor Plants: Embracing Green Spaces All Winter
With outdoor gardening tasks winding down, bring the focus indoors. Houseplants such as Air-Purifying Plants, Succulents and tropical foliage thrive in the winter months, brightening rooms and improving air quality.
Consider:
- Nephrolepis Green Lady (Boston Fern) adds a light, feathery touch that thrives in humid areas like bathrooms. For larger spaces, Howea Forsteriana (Kentia Palm) and Chamaedorea Elegans (Parlour Palm) offer an elegant, arching silhouette that evokes a tropical ambiance.
- Ficus Elastica (Rubber Plant) and Ficus Tineke have broad, glossy leaves that bring a bold statement to any room, while Algaonema Hawkeye and Dieffenbachia add rich green and white variegation for extra colour and texture.
- Spathiphyllum Sweet Chico (Peace Lily) is known for its deep green foliage and delicate white blooms, while Peperomia Caracas and Fittonia offer intricate, colourful patterns on their leaves, perfect for tabletops or bookshelves.
- Phlebodium Bifurcatum (Blue Star Fern) has uniquely shaped, blue-green fronds that thrive in low light, adding a subtle colour contrast to traditional greens.
- Calathea, with its vibrant stripes and patterns, and Pilea Peromioides (Chinese Money Plant) with its round, coin-like leaves, both add charm and intrigue to any room, particularly in low-light spots.
Remember, reduced watering and holding off on feeding indoor plants until next spring will help avoid problems like rot and encourage better plant health throughout winter.
5: Essential Winter Planting and Festive Potted Planters at Boma
Explore Boma's range of winter plants: Erica (winter heather) brings pink and purple blooms, while evergreens such as Euonymus and Skimmia provide structural greenery. Ready-to-go festive planters, like the Oxford Evergreen Planter and Ruby Haven Planter, are ideal for the winter months, adding instant colour for autumn and the festive season.
Planting bare-root fruit trees in open ground now allows time for roots to grow before next year’s garden wakes up. Add layers of mulch and, if wind rock is a concern, stake trees or use chicken wire for support. For large pots outdoors, watch soil level to ensure roots are not exposed during winter wet spells.
6: Lawn Care for November
As grass growth slows, lawns require less mowing. Aerate soil using a garden fork and clear fallen leaves to prevent lawn damage and promote healthy air flow. For bare patches, scatter compost and reseed—there’s still mild weather for seeds to germinate.
7: Autumn Planting: Tulips, Shrubs, and Tree Ferns
November is an excellent time to plant tulips, establish new shrubs, and introduce tree ferns to chosen spots—each bringing a distinct advantage to garden beds. While tulip bulbs are planted for a dazzling spring display, shrubs add structure and year-round interest, and tree ferns create a striking focal point for shady borders. The table below helps compare these autumn planting choices for your garden in November:
| Plant Type | Best Planted In November? | Planting Notes | Benefits in the Garden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tulip Bulbs | Yes | Plant tulips in well-drained soil at twice bulb height depth. | Brilliant colour in spring |
| Shrubs | Yes | Plant shrubs in prepared beds with mulch for winter root care. | Provide structure and privacy |
| Tree Ferns | Yes (container/ sheltered) | Use well-rotted compost, shelter from wind, keep crowns moist | Exotic interest, shade planting |
November is ideal to plant tulips for a late spring show, to establish new shrubs in mild, moist soil, and to start tree ferns in a frost-free or highly sheltered spot for best winter protection.
8: Essential November Tasks: Broad Beans & Dividing Overcrowded Clumps
As autumn advances, gardeners can get ahead for next year's crops by sowing broad beans and revitalising borders by dividing overcrowded clumps. Both tasks encourage thriving plants and productive garden beds next season.
- Broad beans are hardy vegetables best sown in November in well-drained soil; they’ll overwinter and provide an early crop next spring.
- Dividing overcrowded clumps of perennials—such as daylilies or irises—ensures plants remain healthy and vigorous, improving flowering and making the most of your garden space.
Not only do these jobs promote garden health and productivity, but they make the most of the autumnal soil conditions for easy digging and replanting. Carefully dig up the clumps to be divided, replant young, healthy sections, and enrich the area with compost or leaf mould for renewed growth.
| November Task | Why Do It Now? | Tools & Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Sow Broad Beans | Best germination before winter | Use well-drained beds, sow direct |
| Divide Overcrowded Clumps | Reduces congestion, improves health | Lift carefully, replant divisions |
November Deals at Boma Garden Centre
November offers include multi-purpose compost with John Innes for mulching, spring bulbs, and winter-blooming plants like Camellia and Erica, and prepare planting ideas with Boma’s full range of gardening supplies and equipment.
Need expert planting advice? Contact Boma for a tailored consultation, or visit to browse curated plant displays for your garden in November.
