Essential Gardening Tips for November to Keep Your Plants Thriving! Advice From Let's Grow Preston

As the crisp air of November settles over Preston and the wider Lancashire area, many gardeners may feel tempted to pack away their tools until spring. However, this time of year is essential for preparing your garden for winter. At Let’s Grow Preston, we know that gardening and horticulture therapy can boost both mental and physical well-being, and November is an ideal month to stay connected with nature and local green spaces.

Here are five essential gardening tips to help your plants thrive this November while enjoying the therapeutic benefits of being outdoors.

1. Protect Your Plants from Frost

November often brings the first significant frosts across Lancashire. To keep your garden healthy:

• Cover frost-sensitive plants with fleece, frost cloth, or breathable blankets.

• Move delicate potted plants into greenhouses, porches, or sheltered corners.

• Add mulch around perennials, shrubs, and young trees to insulate their roots.

These simple actions can dramatically improve plant survival during winter.

2. Clean Up Your Garden

A tidy November garden prevents issues later:

• Remove diseased or dead plants to stop pests and fungal problems from overwintering.

• Rake leaves from lawns and pathways to prevent mould and unsafe, slippery surfaces.

• Compost healthy organic material, something we encourage at Let’s Grow Preston, as good compost enriches the soil beautifully in spring.

Maintaining your garden is not only beneficial for plants! It’s also a calming, mindful activity that supports better mental well-being.

3. Plant Bulbs for Spring Blooms

November is a perfect time to plant bulbs such as daffodils, tulips, crocuses, and hyacinths, ideal for brightening up Preston gardens in early spring.

Tips for success:

• Choose a well-drained spot.

• Plant bulbs at a depth about three times their size.

• Give them a light watering to help them settle.

These bulbs need winter cold to bloom well, and the colourful spring displays they produce are something we love sharing within our horticulture therapy programmes at Let’s Grow Preston.

4. Adjust Your Watering Routine

Plants drink less in cooler weather, but monitoring soil moisture remains important:

• Water newly planted trees, shrubs, or hedges deeply but less frequently.

• Avoid waterlogging, which can cause root rot during winter.

• Check that pots drain freely and that water isn’t sitting in trays.

Staying in tune with your garden’s needs is a great way to stay connected with nature through the winter months.

5. Prepare Your Tools for Winter

Before storing tools away for winter:

• Clean off soil and plant debris.

• Sharpen blades to ensure smooth cutting next season.

• Oil metal parts and store everything somewhere dry to prevent rust.

Good tool care saves you time and money, and ensures you’re ready to enjoy your gardening routine again in early spring.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What gardening tasks should I do in November in the UK?

In November, focus on protecting plants from frost, clearing dead foliage, planting spring bulbs, adjusting watering routines, and preparing tools for winter.

2. Can gardening help improve mental health?

Yes. Gardening has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, and boost mindfulness. At Let’s Grow Preston, we use horticulture therapy to support mental and physical well-being.

3. What is horticulture therapy?

Horticulture therapy involves using gardening activities to improve health and wellbeing. It helps build confidence, reduce anxiety, improve mobility, and connect people with nature.

4. How does Let’s Grow Preston support the community?

Let’s Grow Preston maintains community gardens, runs wellbeing sessions, supports volunteers, and helps people across Preston connect with nature and local green spaces.

5. When should I plant spring bulbs in Lancashire?

Ideally between October and late November. The bulbs need winter cold to bloom beautifully in spring.

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Conclusion

November may feel like the end of the gardening year, but at Let’s Grow Preston, we see it as a month full of opportunity for reflection, preparation, and connection with green spaces. Gardening and horticulture therapy are powerful ways to support mental health, physical wellness, and community connection — something we’re passionate about across the Preston and Lancashire region.

By following these simple November gardening tips, you can protect your plants, prepare for spring, and experience the restorative benefits of being outdoors.

Happy gardening from all of us at Let’s Grow Preston!

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About Let’s Grow Preston

Let’s Grow Preston is a charity based in Preston, Lancashire, dedicated to improving mental and physical well-being through gardening, horticulture therapy, and community green spaces. We support local people to connect with nature, learn new skills, and enjoy the benefits of outdoor activity.