November Garden Checklist

For some parts of the country, November signals the end of the garden season while in other parts, gardening is ongoing. Wherever you live, there are some garden tasks that will help your garden remain strong and healthy. Consult this November garden checklist to keep your garden looking its best — and remember, it’s always good to consult with your local county extension office or a local trusted garden center for more specific recommendations for your area.

Plan

If you don’t have a garden journal, this is the perfect month to start one. I like to make notes of my successes and failures so I can plan accordingly for next year’s garden. And really, I don’t look at much as a “failure” — if something doesn’t work out, it’s just good information for me to have the next time around. Make notes of seeds you collected, when you have your first frost/freeze, and use these notes to update your planting plan for the upcoming year.

Prepare and Maintain

Water thoroughly before a freeze to insulate your plants, have row covers at the ready to protect tender plants, and mulch all exposed soil. Clean, sharpen, and store your garden tools for the winter if you live in a colder climate. Clean up all plant debris to avoid existing pest and disease issues from overwintering in your garden. Turn your compost pile if you have a “hot” pile. If you planted seeds last month (carrots, beets, lettuce, greens), go ahead and thin them now. If you’ve stored onions, potatoes, and garlic, check them for spoilage.

Sow and Plant Indoors

• Colder climates like USDA Hardiness Zones 4-6 can plant parsley and lettuce in pots for an indoor winter garden (place them by a bright window for best results).

Sow and Plant Outdoors

• Cooler climates like Zones 5-6 can plant garlic and shallots.
• Warmer Climates like Zones 9-10 can plant peas, kale, spinach, and any remaining lettuce.
• Very Warm Climates like Zone 11 can sow seeds for dill and fennel, and continue planting any remaining bell peppers or sweet peppers.

Harvest

• Zones 6-7 can harvest spinach, parsnips, kale, lettuce, spinach, broccoli, and carrots.
• Zones 8-9 can harvest pumpkins, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, radishes, arugula, bok choy, broccoli, collards, kale, lettuces, and beets.
• Zone 10 can harvest beans, carrots, kale, cucumbers, lettuce, and peas.

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