WOW! - November already! It’s time to prepare the garden for the warmer, drier months ahead.
Key Garden & Landscape Products for November: Bark & Mulch | Pebbles & Stones | Garden & Lawn Soils | Fertiliser | Paving & Retaining | Sand, Metal & Drainage | Timber Sleepers
In the veggie patch, focus on planting companion plants like basil and marigolds, support for fast-growing crops, and conserving moisture with deep watering and a layer of mulch.
The ornamental garden can be brightened with colourful hanging baskets, while shade-loving plants and hardy succulents add interest in tricky spots. Keep paths, lawns, and beds clean and hydrated, tackling weeds and feeding shrubs for ongoing health.
With projects like mulching, patio preparation, and drought-proofing, your garden will stay resilient and vibrant through the summer season, making it a welcoming space for outdoor get-togethers and Christmas celebrations.
November Fruit & Vegetable Garden Tips
Companion Planting with Basil and Marigolds
Plant basil beneath tomato plants; these two have a symbiotic relationship that benefits both. Basil can improve the flavour of tomatoes, while marigolds act as a natural pest repellent, especially against aphids and nematodes. Grouping these plants creates a harmonious, low-maintenance patch.
Support Climbing Plants
Fast-growing summer edibles like tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, and zucchini need structure to keep them off the ground, allowing for better airflow and reducing the chance of disease. Use tall stakes or wire supports and train these plants as they grow, preventing them from tangling and maximising production.
Watering and Mulching for Summer
As temperatures rise, it’s crucial to prepare vegetables and fruit trees with deep, thorough watering to reach their roots. After watering, add a layer of pea straw or organic mulch around the base of plants to help lock in moisture, reduce weed growth, and protect young plants from the drying effects of summer heat.
Planting Tender Summer Vegetables
Now is an ideal time to plant warm-weather vegetables like beans, basil, corn, melons, and pumpkins. Beans will benefit from a climbing frame, while corn can act as a natural support for beans. Adding pumpkins to this area as a ground cover helps to suppress weeds and maintain soil moisture.
Fruit Tree Pest Control
Protect young apple and pear fruits from codling moth infestations by hanging sticky traps in the trees or applying Yates Success Ultra spray. Using these controls early can prevent damage to the fruit throughout the season.
Feeding and Fertilising for Growth
Keep a consistent schedule of liquid feeding and watering during the peak growing period. Crops like strawberries, tomatoes, and lemon trees benefit from balanced fertilisers that encourage healthy fruiting and help build resilience against heat stress.
November Ornamental Garden Tips
Create Vibrant Hanging Baskets
For low-maintenance hanging baskets, place a plastic saucer in the base to retain moisture and use nutrient-rich potting mix. Plant an assortment of summer flowers such as petunias and impatiens. Keep baskets well-watered and fed with liquid fertiliser to promote lush, continuous blooms.
Deadheading and Seasonal Care
Deadhead roses, hydrangeas, camellias, and rhododendrons to extend their bloom time and encourage repeat flowering. Watch for pests on trees like Kowhai, as caterpillars often emerge after flowering. Spraying with appropriate treatments can protect the foliage and maintain the health of the plants.
Perfect Roses
It is rose time in the garden, so it’s important to keep an eye out for aphids and spray them. Rose foliage can be temperamental and prone to black spot in cool spring weather, so spraying with a fungus remedy or even maintaining healthy foliage with a liquid fertiliser spray will help. Lastly keep them fed with granular or pelletised fertiliser, and mulch deeply.
Shady Area Planting
Plants like hostas, astilbes, clivias, rengarenga lilies, and pulmonarias thrive in shady spots but need protection from pests like snails and slugs. Use snail bait around these areas to protect tender foliage.
Succulents for Dry Spaces
Geraniums, pelargoniums, and succulents are excellent options for pots in sunny areas where water is limited. These plants are hardy, retain water well, and add visual interest with their unique foliage and blooms.
Mulching for Water Conservation
Mulch the garden to lock in moisture and insulate plant roots during the hot summer months. This is especially useful where water rates are high or restrictions apply. Mulching with organic materials like bark or pea straw can enhance soil quality over time as it breaks down.
More November Garden Tips
Weed Control and Path Cleaning
Regularly waterblast paths and paved areas to remove dirt, algae, and mildew, giving the garden a clean and inviting look. Control aggressive weeds like convolvulus and Cape Ivy, which can quickly overtake other plants. Removing these weeds early prevents them from spreading and allows desirable plants to thrive.
Feeding Lawns and Shrubs
Feed spring-blooming shrubs like rhododendrons, camellias, viburnums, and roses to sustain them post-bloom.
For lawns prone to drying out, use Prolawn Aquaturf Max G Granular Wetting Agent to help water penetrate to the roots. This product is particularly effective for lawns in dry climates or those with clay-heavy soil.
Protecting Flowering Plants from Pests
Growing dahlias should be checked for pests like slugs, snails, and earwigs, which can destroy emerging buds overnight. Apply organic or chemical treatments as needed to protect the plants.
Landscaping Projects for November
Patio Preparation for Summer Gatherings
If planning to create a patio in time for holiday gatherings, Central Landscape Supplies can assist with all the supplies you need, including base layers such as GAP 20 and GAP 7, sand and a range of stunning pavers from Firth & Feinwerk.
A well-built patio offers a solid, level surface ideal for outdoor entertaining during the festive season.
Mulching and Drought-Proofing the Garden
With summer approaching, mulch is essential for drought-proofing garden beds. Central Landscape Supplies offers various mulches made from recycled materials or by-products of timber processing. Apply blood and bone to the soil before mulching to add a nitrogen boost, helping plants stay healthy and resilient during dry weather.
Creating a Drought-Resistant Garden
To prepare for low rainfall, enrich the soil with compost before planting drought-tolerant species. Adding a layer of pebble mulch around the plants helps maintain a cool root environment and enhances the garden's aesthetics.