Autumn Greenhouse Calendar - November

November heralds the end of the autumn growing season. It’s a quiet time in the greenhouse, but there’s still work to do, if you’re making the most of your greenhouse. Pots will need careful watering…proper ventilation requires a watchful eye. Make sure there’s adequate air movement in November to reduce the risk of disease without chilling your plants.

November is a suitable time for you annual cleanup, if you haven’t already done it. Don’t leave this important task until winter is upon you!

GENERAL PLANT TASKS

• Transplant remaining Geranium and Fuchsia cuttings.
• Harvest outer lettuce leaves.
• Water only when plants really need watering. Many are now dormant.
• Continue watering Christmas Cacti. Flower buds should be forming.
• Clean plants; remove discolored or dying leaves.
• Water bulbs in a coldframe; don’t let bulbs dry out.
• Water Cyclamen, Cinneria, and Gloxina.
• Maintain a minimum greenhouse temperature of 42°F - 45°F if frost-sensitive plants are present. On sunny, dry days, open a vent away from the wind. Close vent in mid-afternoon to conserve the solar heat before nightfall. Keep vents closed on damp or foggy days.
• Keep inside air dry. Don’t splash floor, staging or leaves. Water pots sparingly, except for those which are in flower.
• Inspect your plants. Spray if grey mould or whitefly is present. Remove dead flowers and diseased or discolored leaves.
• Complete your annual cleanup on a bright, dry day, if you haven’t already. Place pots in your garden while you work, leaving tender pots inside. Remove trash from the greenhouse and scrub staging and shelves with a garden disinfectant. Clean glass or glazing and do any necessary preservative painting.
• Complete any necessary repairs and finish insulation.

Bulbs

• Finish planting up the spring-flowering bulbs such as Tulips, Iris, Lily of the Valley.
• Check any bowls you’ve plunged outdoors. If shoots are about an inch high, bring some inside for earlier flowering.

Other Ornamentals

• Pot up cuttings of Pelargonium, Fuchsia, Heliotrope, Helichrysum, Campanula, Plumbago which were struck in autumn.
• Bring in pots of Fuchsia, Hydrangea, Begonia and Pelargonium from outdoors; store under staging and keep almost dry.
• Pot up a few hardy plants from the garden (such as Polyanthus and Helleborus) for Christmas display.
• Cut Chrysanthemums and Carnations for indoor arrangements. Be on the lookout for grey mould and earwigs on Chrysanthemums.

Bedding Plants

• Pot on the hardy annuals — such as Pansy and Sweet Pea — which were sown in autumn for spring bedding. Use 3" pots, as small plants in large pots can root-rot.
• Pot on Pelargonium and Fuchsia cuttings for bedding out next year.
• Pack plants taken from hanging baskets into boxes containing slightly damp peat.

Garden Perennials and Shrubs

• Lift perennials such as Chrysanthemum and Dahlia before the end of the month. Label, cut down and pack in peat-filled boxes. Place boxes under staging until the spring when the young shoots will be used as cuttings. Check periodically during winter to ensure that they’re not rotting.
• Bring in tender shrubs and perennials such as Agapanthus and Osteospermum; prune if needed.

Vegetables & Fruit

• Plant out Lettuce seedlings raised from September or early October sowing. (45-degree temperature required.)
• Plant out mushroom spawn.
• Harvest Lettuce and Mushroom.
• Pot up and force Chicory.
• Box up and force Rhubarb at the end of November. Lift crowns of well-established plants from the garden and leave exposed to frost. Place crowns in peat-filled box and cover with polythene sheeting. Small, succulent shoots will be ready for pulling in about 4 weeks.
• Lift Chives, Parsley and Mint from garden for a supply during winter.
• Plant Peach, Nectarine, Apricot. Established bushes or fans should be ventilated on dry days; heat is not required.
• Plant Grape vines. Prune established vines after leaves have fallen.

Greenhouse Tasks

• Continue ventilation on sunny days. Make sure the greenhouse has constant air circulation.
• Record night temperatures to help guide you next season.