What to plant and pick in November: garden calendar

If you have an urban garden, you will have already noticed the approach of winter and It is convenient to uproot or harvest the plants that are most sensitive to cold. The greater environmental humidity and the cold reduce the work of watering and weeding.

It is a propitious time to start spreading manure or compost in ornamental gardens and at the foot of the fruit trees. We can leave them on the surface for a while and wait until January or February to cover them with grass or straw mulch, or to gradually incorporate them into the ground, very superficially.

The abundance of fallen leaves in autumn and of plants and organic remains that are removed from the garden, together with the humidity, make it a great time to compost. Any plant that has finished its cycle should be uprooted and thrown into the compost heap.

Garden chores in November

The cold slows down the development of the crops, but also that of the typical competing grasses of spring and summer, so that mulches and covers made of straw or organic waste are no longer so necessary. Also, if the soil gets too cold, the microbes in the soil become inactivated. We are interested in favoring the activity of soil microorganisms, since they decompose organic remains and feed crops. It is better to leave the soil exposed to solar radiation and cover it with a layer of black mulch; so on sunny days it heats up and accumulates heat.

Windy days and snaps of intense cold often slow down or damage some plants. A small greenhouse or plastic tunnel will allow us to lengthen the crops that are most sensitive to cold. If we have a wall or wall exposed to the south, we can also take advantage of it to plant sensitive vegetables whose harvests we want to extend. It will protect from the cold wind and accumulate heat during the day to radiate it at night.

What to plant in the garden in November

In November it is time to sow:

Spinach Broccoli Lamb’s lettuce Peas Broad beans (in cold areas) Garlic Radishes Potatoes Black turnips Endives Lettuce In protected nurseries we can make seedlings of onions, cabbage, broccoli and lettuce.

Tips for sowing in November

Broccoli. To enjoy tender pellets, it is advisable to sow and transplant seedlings regularly, at least once a month. End-of-year transplants tend to head in spring. Broad beans. In warm areas they are usually sown at the end of September, but in cold areas it is better in November. So that abundant pods grow, it is convenient to sow in poor and little fertilized lands. Canons. Its rapid development and small size allows regular planting as a “wild card” plant, interspersed with other larger crops such as cabbage or broccoli. Black turnips. They are directly sown all year, but those at this time are the most tender. If we spread too many seeds, we thin when they have four leaves and transplant to another place.

What to harvest in November

Even if the cold starts, we can still harvest:

Chard Cabbages Artichokes Celery Turnips Fennel Spinach Parsley Peas Lettuce Radishes Leeks Beetroot Carrots Arugula And in warm areas, even aubergines, peppers, zucchini or tomatoes.

Tips for harvesting in November

Peas. In temperate zones we can already enjoy them. The best time to harvest is when the beans are well formed: the pods present “lumps” and are no longer smooth. Trocadero lettuce. It tolerates low temperatures well, although they slow down its development. By having very tender leaves, we can thin out the external ones while the bud continues to develop. leeks. To benefit from its properties, it is better not to blanch the stems and harvest the largest and well-formed ones. We can take advantage of the external green leaves in purifying stews and broths. Arugula. It is one of the best times to enjoy its tender and spicy leaves. The cold and inclement weather in autumn encourage it to synthesize higher concentrations of polyphenols and sulphurophanes. Artichoke. Artichokes like cold, but not extreme. In the warm areas we are already harvesting the first artichokes; In cold areas, until February we can still make cuttings and transplant them to harvest at the end of winter or in spring. In order to obtain good harvests for months, a good background fertilization is convenient, with about 6 kg of compost or manure per m2 and water regularly. When they are giving artichokes, it is also convenient to provide worm humus every month.

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