November Garden Jobs by Zone: Bulbs, Trees and Winter Prep

Jobs several sources list

• Plant spring bulbs, if the ground is open. Clemson calls November a great time to plant spring bulbs such as daffodils, setting them three times as deep as the bulb is tall; Oregon State says there is still time in western Oregon for tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and crocus, but not to delay. When to Plant Fall Bulbs by Zone: Tulips, Daffodils, More.
• Plant trees and shrubs where the ground allows. Mississippi State calls this the best time in Mississippi, once the soil cools; Clemson says late fall is still good for many trees and shrubs; Oregon State calls it a good time in Oregon. When to plant trees and shrubs in fall.
• Hold off on pruning. Clemson says pruning now pushes tender growth that will not harden before winter, and Mississippi State says to wait until February for most trees and shrubs. Dead, damaged and diseased branches can come out now (Clemson, Mississippi State).
• Mulch. Mississippi State lays mulch over beds as a blanket against the cold, Clemson mulches and adds compost instead of fertilizing, and Oregon State renews mulch around perennial beds after weeding.
• Put tools away properly. Minnesota cleans, sharpens and lightly oils metal tools and shelves bags of seed and fertilizer off the floor; Oregon State cleans and oils the mower and drains and stores hoses before they freeze.
• Leave some stems standing. Clemson leaves perennial stalks and seed heads for birds and overwintering insects until spring, removing only diseased plants and noxious weeds; Oregon State leaves ornamental grasses up for winter. When to cut back perennials.

The North: Minnesota

University of Minnesota Extension (zones 3a–5a).

• Fence out rabbits and mice. Rabbits chew bark from early fall through winter, leaving a 45-degree bite. Use hardware cloth 4 feet tall, buried 2 to 3 inches, and not touching the plant.
• White tree guards only on young and thin-barked trees: white keeps the trunk frozen and stops the freeze-thaw that cracks the south and southwest side. Black corrugated tubing heats the trunk and makes it worse. How to protect shrubs from winter damage.
• Keep watering in a dry fall, deeply, until the soil freezes, typically late November to mid-December in Minnesota. Established trees and shrubs need it as much as new ones.
• Winterize big pots by letting them dry, covering them with a heavy plastic bag, removing the saucers and lifting them onto bricks, so water does not freeze in them and crack them.
• Bring amaryllis out of the dark into a bright window; flowers take 4 to 8 weeks to form. Amaryllis care.
• The lawn: mulch fallen leaves as you mow, lower the mowing height gradually but not below 2 inches, and dormant-seed thin areas now.

The Pacific Northwest: Oregon

Oregon State University Extension Service (zones 5b–9b). It says its tips do not fit every part of Oregon.

• Western Oregon: plant garlic for next summer, plant the last cover crops, take rhododendron and camellia cuttings, and cut tea and floribunda roses (not climbers or ramblers) to about 3 feet so wind does not damage them.
• Central and eastern Oregon: without snow cover, deep-soak new perennials, trees and shrubs every 6 to 8 weeks, and wrap the trunks of young, thin-barked trees such as maples, aspen and ash with paper tree wrap late in the month, removing it in April.
• Everywhere in Oregon: force spring bulbs for indoor flowers in December, check stored potatoes and remove any going bad, set a cold frame over winter vegetables, and mulch berries, rhubarb and asparagus.
• Drain the sprinkler system and insulate the valves; tie up upright evergreens so snow and ice do not break them.
• Plant a window garden of lettuce, chives and parsley.

The Southeast: South Carolina

Clemson Cooperative Extension’s Home & Garden Information Center (zones 8a–9b).

• Plant bulbs such as daffodils, three times as deep as the bulb is tall. Where deer are a problem, Clemson suggests daffodils, allium, hyacinths, squill and snowdrops; where squirrels and voles are, snow iris, Spanish bluebell, colchicums and dogtooth violet.
• Plant trees and shrubs, and move shrubs that have outgrown their spot, without burying the root flare. There is still time to dig, divide and replant crowded perennials.
• Turn off the irrigation in the Midlands and water only after two weeks with no measurable rain, deeply and seldom; too much water in cool weather invites fungal disease and root rot.
• Skip the fertilizer, which can push growth in cold weather. Mulch and compost instead.
• Plant onions early in the month, among the last vegetables that can still go in.
• Watch warm-season lawns for large patch disease and winter weeds that were a problem before.

Mississippi

Mississippi State University Extension’s two November lists (zones 7b–9a).

• Plant trees and shrubs now the soil has cooled: dig the hole twice as wide as the root ball, and set the top of the root ball even with the ground.
• Take hardwood cuttings of crape myrtles, roses, hydrangeas and wisteria to root new plants.
• Plant for color: pansies, pinks and flowering cabbage and kale for winter, and perennials such as irises, daylilies and daisies for summer.
• Rake leaves into the compost with the dead annuals, and mulch beds for winter.

Florida

UF/IFAS Extension’s gardening calendars for central and south Florida.

• Central Florida: fall color from cool-season plants such as pansy, viola, snapdragon, dianthus and alyssum; bulbs that like to start in cool weather, such as amaryllis, crinum and daylily; herbs including cilantro, parsley, sage and thyme; and cool-season vegetables such as beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, kale and lettuce. Divide overgrown perennials and bulbs so they settle in before the cold, and watch lawns for brown patch and large patch.
• South Florida: impatiens, verbena, petunia, salvia and cape daisy for color; cilantro, dill, fennel, parsley, sage and thyme; and beans, broccoli, kale, snow and English peas, and strawberries. Divide overgrown perennials now, and rake up leaves with plumeria rust.

Common mistakes

• Pruning hard now. Clemson and Mississippi State say it pushes growth that winter kills.
• Fertilizing in late fall. Clemson says it triggers unwanted growth in cold weather.
• Black tubing as a tree guard. Minnesota says it heats the trunk; use white.
• Watering on a summer schedule. Clemson says cool soil and too much water bring root rot.
• Leaving leaves matted on the lawn. Clemson says they can smother grass; shred them into beds instead.

Where there is no source here

We found no November calendar from Texas, California, the Northeast, the Mountain West or the Desert Southwest that we could read, and UF/IFAS’s North Florida calendar did not load. Those areas are covered here only by the zone table; for your area, ask your county extension office.