The leaves are falling, as well as the temperatures, and the rain has started to come more often. Yes, winter is definitely on its way. But, that doesn’t mean there are no jobs to be done in your garden in November – definitely not! You will have done a lot to prepare your garden for the winter back in October, but there are still tasks to tick off your to-do list this month. And, we’re here to help with expert gardening tips and advice to get you through the month.

Top tips for what to do in your garden in November

Autumn is often treated as a time to hack everything back for a big tidy up before winter really sets in. However it’s actually not a good time to prune many trees and shrubs, you are better to do this late in winter, or in early spring. Cherries, if pruned, are very vulnerable to silver leaf disease. And evergreens are usually tackled in early spring, or after flowering.

Saying this, there are some plants that should be pruned in the autumn – these include beech, hawthorn and hazel trees. As well as climbing and shrub roses. The most important part of autumn pruning is removing dead, diseased, or misplaced branches. Always aim to make a clean cut, either back to a bud on living wood, or back to the stem it’s growing from.

As long as the ground is not frozen or waterlogged, keep planting out pot-grown hardy climbers, shrubs and trees – and, you must remember to water them through the winter. It’s also a good time to plant bare root specimens which are usually cheaper to buy.

Plant tree guards or chicken wire around young trees and woody shrubs that are prone to attacks from rabbits, deer or squirrels. This will stop them nibbling on the bark which could let diseases in.

Prepare your taps for winter! Use foam lagging to insulate all outdoor taps and pipework against freezing temperatures. If they aren’t protected, water within the tap or pipe will expand causing splits or cracks meaning there will be leaks once they are thawed out.

If you have any questions or live in Portsmouth or the surrounding areas and would like to discuss one of our many tree services give us a call on 07775 764 669 or contact us using our form by clicking here..

Bob Angus – Owner / Angus Tree Services