November is a good month to spend a little time getting ahead of summer. Watering systems need a test run, fast-growing vegetables need support, and bare soil benefits from cover before hot days arrive.
Across southern Australia, gardens are often filling with summer crops. Inland, protecting plants from heat and wind becomes increasingly important. In the north, the build-up and approaching wet season bring a different checklist: drainage, airflow and storm preparation.
These November gardening jobs focus on the things that make the biggest difference to a home food garden. Choose the section that best fits your climate, then adjust for the weather in your own patch. A short, regular visit will often achieve more than one exhausting afternoon trying to do everything.
Cool Temperate
1. Help summer seedlings settle
Check the forecast before planting frost-sensitive vegetables. Harden off plants raised indoors by gradually introducing them to outdoor sunshine and wind.
2. Put supports in early
Install tomato stakes and bean trellises before plants become tangled. Tie tomatoes loosely with soft material, allowing room for stems to thicken.
3. Weed, water, then mulch
Remove weeds while they're small and water dry soil before covering it. Apply a loose layer of organic mulch around established vegetables, leaving a gap at their stems.
4. Keep harvesting spring crops
Pick peas, broad beans and leafy greens while tender. Check plants every few days so pods don't become tough and overlooked produce doesn't go to waste.
5. Protect young brassicas
Look beneath leaves for caterpillars and eggs. Fine insect mesh can protect young crops when fitted securely and checked for trapped pests.
Warm Temperate
1. Give irrigation a proper check
Run the system while you're in the garden. Look for leaks, blocked drippers and dry patches between outlets.
2. Refresh soil cover
Top up thinning mulch after rain or a thorough watering. Concentrate on the sunny edges of beds and around hungry summer vegetables.
3. Guide climbing and sprawling crops
Direct beans towards their supports and tie tomatoes before stems bend under their own weight. Give cucumber vines something secure to climb if space is tight.
4. Pick a little and often
Harvest zucchini while small and beans before the seeds bulge. Regular picking keeps food coming into the kitchen at a useful size.
5. Inspect fruit and foliage
Check tomatoes and cucurbits for damaged fruit, caterpillars and developing leaf problems. Remove fallen or badly affected produce promptly.
Mediterranean
1. Make every watering count
Inspect drip lines, connectors and timers before hot weather tests them. On sandy soils, check how water spreads rather than assuming each dripper wets a wide area.
2. Shade vulnerable plants
Set up secure, ventilated shade over lettuce and newly planted seedlings before a heatwave. Morning sun with relief from the harsh afternoon sun can help tender crops establish.
3. Cover exposed soil
Weed first, moisten the ground and add organic mulch around established crops. Recheck coverage after wind.
4. Check garlic for maturity
Inspect bulbs as lower leaves yellow, rather than harvesting to a fixed calendar date. Lift a test plant to check development.
5. Secure summer crops
Check tomato stakes and climbing supports before dry winds arrive. Use soft ties that don't rub stems.
Arid
1. Prioritise reliable root-zone watering
Walk the irrigation lines and repair leaks straight away. Probe the soil beneath the mulch to check moisture.
2. Reduce heat and wind stress
Repair shade structures and check that they are anchored securely. Use porous wind protection where hot winds scorch foliage.
3. Maintain a protective mulch layer
Cover exposed ground around established vegetables after watering. Check whether wind has shifted mulch away from the drip line.
4. Harvest before the hottest hours
Pick ripe vegetables early and bring them into shade promptly. Check beans, cucumbers and zucchini frequently where crops are producing.
5. Match new work to the heat
If the forecast is extreme, focus on keeping established crops healthy and delay transplanting. Clear finished plants, protect empty beds and plan your next local sowing window.
Savannah
1. Keep watering through the build-up
Check soil after storms rather than assuming rain has soaked the bed. A brief downpour can run off hard ground.
2. Make a path for stormwater
Clear blocked bed outlets and remove obstructions where water needs to drain. Raise or mound future planting areas if ponding is a recurring problem.
3. Strengthen supports
Secure snake bean trellises, shade frames and plant stakes before storm winds test them. Remove loose pots and tools from exposed places.
4. Stay ahead of weeds
Pull small weeds before they seed, especially after the first soaking rain. Cover gaps around established plants without burying crowns.
5. Pick and inspect frequently
Harvest snake beans and okra young. Look beneath leaves for chewing damage and remove spoiled produce.
Subtropical
1. Water according to the weather
Check the soil before turning irrigation on after rain. Water at soil level when needed and aim to keep foliage dry where practical.
2. Keep air moving through the patch
Remove finished crops and avoid letting vines smother neighbouring plants. Tie tomatoes to supports and take off badly diseased foliage when conditions are dry.
3. Protect susceptible fruit early
Use suitable exclusion bags or fine netting where fruit fly is a local problem. Fit protection before susceptible fruit is attacked and check seals regularly.
4. Harvest summer vegetables regularly
Check cucumbers, zucchini, beans and okra every few days. Pick at a useful size and refrigerate or cook the harvest promptly.
5. Prepare for storms
Inspect stakes, trellises and container drainage holes. Move small pots away from roof runoff and secure tall plants.
Tropical
1. Clear drainage before heavy rain
Check raised beds, pot bases and outlets for blockages. Shift containers out of places where water collects.
2. Secure the garden
Anchor climbing supports and check shade structures for loose fixings. Store tools and lightweight pots safely before strong winds.
3. Adjust irrigation after rainfall
Switch off scheduled watering when beds are already wet, then check again during dry breaks. Sheltered pots and new plantings can have different needs from open beds.
4. Keep the patch open and accessible
Remove spent dry-season crops, clear paths and leave room between remaining plants. Pick up rotting fruit and badly affected foliage.
5. Harvest the wet-season winners
Pick snake beans and okra while tender and gather leafy greens regularly. Bring produce into shade and use it fresh.
A little preparation goes a long way
Choose two or three jobs that will make the biggest difference this week. Start with water, plant protection and harvesting, then work through the rest as time allows.