What to plant in november: vegetables, plants & trees

What to plant in November

It is not too late to sow vegetables or flowers yet. Get a head start on the new year.

While the days may be getting shorter, sowing in November is a great way to get ahead, bringing harvest times forward and saving you precious time in spring. Whether it’s flowers, fruit, or vegetables, here’s a roundup of our favourites seeds to sow this month – plus top tips on how to plant them.

Vegetables to plant in November

Plants and trees to plant in November

1. Vegetables to plant in November

Chillies

Common name: Chili pepper
When to sow: Indoors all year
Position: Full sun
Cultivation notes: Easy to grow. Plant seeds in pots on the windowsill and water regularly.

Growing your own chilli peppers means you can choose your colour, flavour and levels of heat. We suggest varieties such as ‘Apache’ or ‘Medusa’, as these can be sown any time of year.

Chillies are easy to grow in pots in your greenhouse or a warm, sunny spot indoors like a windowsill.
You can also start them off indoors, then grow outdoors when the weather gets warmer in spring.
Plant your seeds in a soil-based seed or potting-on compost.
Give your chillies a good watering, then water them every other day – they love a drink as much as they love the sun!

Peas

Common name: Garden pea
When to sow: Autumn or early winter for early crop, otherwise from March to June
Position: Full sun
Cultivation notes: Keep planted seeds in the greenhouse during colder months and translpant into the garden once seedlings are established.

We recommend sowing first early peas like ‘Meteor’ and ‘Kelvedon Wonder’ to overwinter ready for spring picking and eating.

Sow your seeds in a length of old guttering.
Drill drainage holes at regular intervals along the base.
Fill to the top with seed compost.
Space out seeds about 3 inches apart.
Put the guttering in your greenhouse, or a cold frame.
Keep the compost moist, and transplant the pea seedlings into the garden once they’re established.

2. Plants and trees to plant in November

Spring bulbs

When to plant: Throughout autumn until December
Position: Full sun
Cultivation notes: Select firm and undamaged bulbs and add compost for best results.

Put a spring in your step by planting spring-flowering bulbs, such as tulips and daffodils now. We recommend a pot of hyacinth bulbs on your terrace or patio, for gorgeous spring scents. Or plant Christmas roses (hellebores) in the border for their colourful winter/early spring blooms.

November is the ideal time to plant tulip bulbs – the colder temperatures can help stop fungal and viral diseases in the soil.
Check your bulbs – discard any that are soft or look rotten.
Choose a sunny spot, and plant at one or two times the bulb's depth, pointed side up.
Plant in groups a few centimetres apart.
Keep your soil mix light and well drained over the winter.

Bedding plants

When to plant: Throughout autumn
Position: Full sun to partial shade
Cultivation notes: Hardy plants that need regular watering.

Give your garden an instant lift by choosing hardy outdoor plants for your pots. We suggest winter flowering pansies and violas, cyclamen and primroses. Heather is great for texture and wildlife, or add a modern, unusual twist with ornamental kale or ornamental cabbage.

Pansies prefer sun, but also grow well in partial shade.
Plant them 6-10 inches apart so they have enough airflow.
Remember to regularly water covered pansies.

Fruit trees

When to sow: Throughout autumn
Position: Full sun
Cultivation notes: Avoid ground that is frosted or too wet.

November is a perfect month for planting bare-root fruit trees, such as apple, pear, cherry and plum. Just make sure your ground isn’t too frosted or too wet. Most fruit trees prefer full sun and well-drained soil.

Dig over the soil and remove any big stones.
Dig the hole for your tree, with a diameter of 3-5 feet.
Place the tree in the hole, following the planting instructions to ensure it’s at the correct depth.
Fill in the soil around the tree trunk – keeping the tree straight supported by a stake to protect it from wind damage.
Your stake should come up to the tree’s height.
Water your tree on planting – and then regularly until it’s established.
Remember to remove the stake when the tree has established.

Read our article "What blooms in November" to discover all the flowers, that are filling your garden with colour and frangrance this month.