Your Gardening Tasks — November 2026

Your gardening calendar for November / December 2026.

Your gardening tasks

Clear fallen leaves and start leaf mould

Collect leaves from lawns, paths and hard surfaces so grass and paving are not smothered. Bag the leaves in a reused garden sack, dampen them if dry, pierce air holes, and store the bag in a shady corner to rot down into leaf mould. Keep oak and beech leaves separate if there are many, as they take longer to break down.

Timing and precautions: December is still suitable while leaf fall remains and before wet leaves compact over lawns and paths.

Weed and mulch a manageable border section

Choose one section of border, remove annual weeds and the tops of persistent perennial weeds, then spread well-rotted compost or leaf mould over the soil. Aim for a 5–8cm layer, keeping mulch clear of shrub stems, tree trunks and perennial crowns. Do not dig heavily around established roots; let worms work the mulch in naturally.

Timing and precautions: December is a good winter soil-care month because bare areas can be protected before colder, wetter weather damages soil structure.

More advice: GardenAdvice’s October guidance on soil, compost and mulching.

Protect tender and half-hardy border plants

Check Pennisetum × advena ‘Rubrum’, Tulbaghia violacea and Agapanthus africanus ‘Big Blue’. If they are in pots, move them to a sheltered wall, cold greenhouse or other frost-protected position. If planted in the ground, keep crowns from sitting wet, add a loose dry mulch around but not over the crown, and use fleece during sharp cold spells. Do not cut back Pennisetum yet; leave the top growth as natural protection.

Timing and precautions: December protection reduces frost and winter-wet damage while avoiding premature pruning of grasses that should remain standing until spring.

Remove collapsed foliage from shade perennials if it has not already been done

Tidy Hosta sieboldiana ‘Elegans’, Astilbe ‘White Gloria’ and Rodgersia pinnata by removing soft, collapsed or slimy leaves. Compost healthy material, but bin any diseased foliage. Clear debris from around crowns to reduce slug hiding places, while leaving some tidy leaf litter in less visible areas for wildlife.

Timing and precautions: These plants are dormant by December, and removing wet collapsed foliage helps reduce pest shelter and crown rot risk.

Finish autumn cut-back jobs on spent herbaceous perennials

If still standing and looking untidy, cut back dead stems of Leucanthemum ‘Goldfinch’, Leucanthemum superbum ‘Becky’, Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’, Lupinus ‘Gallery Yellow’, Campanula lactiflora ‘Senior’ and Artemisia lactiflora ‘Guizhou’ to near ground level. Leave any attractive seed heads that are still providing structure or food for birds, and avoid cutting plants with spring pruning instructions.

Timing and precautions: These are autumn cut-back plants, so December is suitable for overdue tidying once growth has died down.

Check Aster × frikartii ‘Mönch’ and decide whether to cut or leave for winter structure

Where Aster × frikartii ‘Mönch’ stems have collapsed, cut them to ground level and clear away soggy debris. If stems are still upright and attractive, leave them for winter structure and wildlife, then cut them down in early spring instead.

Timing and precautions: This aster can be cut back in late autumn or early spring, so December is suitable if the plant has already died back and looks untidy.

Avoid winter pruning of grasses and spring-pruned shrubs

Leave Anemanthele lessoniana, Pennisetum and Pennisetum × advena ‘Rubrum’ standing. Do not hard-cut grasses in December. Also leave Caryopteris × clandonensis, Potentilla fruticosa ‘Kobold’, Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, Brunnera ‘Variegata’, Persicaria affinis ‘Superba’, Acanthus spinosus and Acanthus ‘Whitewater’ for their correct late-winter or early-spring tidy.

Timing and precautions: Holding off in December protects crowns, preserves winter structure and avoids forcing soft growth before spring.

Check acid-loving shrubs before winter weather hardens

Inspect Camellia japonica ‘Brushfield’s Yellow’, Rhododendron ‘Blue Jay’ and Azalea mollis. Remove fallen leaves from the base if they are smothering growth, keep mulch loose and away from stems, and use leaf mould or ericaceous compost where mulching is needed. If the weather has been dry, water pots or newly planted shrubs with rainwater where possible.

Timing and precautions: December checks help evergreen camellias and rhododendrons enter winter without dry rootballs, which can affect spring flowering.

Keep paths, patios and working areas safe

Sweep wet leaves from paths, patios and steps, and remove moss or algae where surfaces are slippery. Check edging, supports and plant labels while borders are open and easier to see.

Timing and precautions: December maintenance prevents winter slip hazards and makes later pruning and planting work easier.

Check containers and drainage

Raise pots slightly on feet or bricks so drainage holes do not sit in water. Remove saucers from outdoor pots, check compost is damp but not waterlogged, and group vulnerable containers in a sheltered position. Pay particular attention to pots containing agapanthus, tulbaghia or tender grasses.

Timing and precautions: December wet and frost can damage roots in waterlogged containers, especially on half-hardy plants.

Plan January and February pruning without starting too early

Note that Wisteria should receive its winter spur prune in January or February, shortening suitable side shoots back to buds then. Do not prune Camellia, Rhododendron or Azalea now, as their pruning window is after flowering. Mark these jobs on the garden plan so they are not missed.

Timing and precautions: December is best used for planning these pruning jobs rather than carrying them out before their correct season.

More advice: Starting garden notes.

Review beds for winter planting opportunities

Where soil is workable and not saturated, assess gaps in the borders and note where dormant-season shrubs or trees could be added. Avoid planting into compacted, frozen or waterlogged ground. Improve future planting areas with compost mulch rather than heavy digging around existing plants.

Timing and precautions: December is part of the dormant planting season, but only suitable when the soil is open and workable.

Clean and sharpen tools before spring work begins

Clean soil from spades, forks, secateurs and hand tools. Sharpen blades, oil moving parts and store tools dry. Clean cutting tools before moving between plants to reduce the spread of disease.

Timing and precautions: December is a practical maintenance month, and clean sharp tools make late-winter pruning and spring planting easier.

Gardening projects

• Start a bag of leaf mould: This project is directly suited to December because fallen leaves are still available and can be turned into a useful future soil conditioner instead of being wasted.
• Give one small border a winter mulch: Mulching a small section at a time protects exposed soil, suppresses weeds and improves the borders gradually without trying to tackle the whole garden at once.
• Plant a pot of spring colour: A container of dwarf daffodils, crocuses or Iris reticulata can still be used to create late-winter and early-spring interest, provided bulbs are firm and planted into free-draining compost.