Leafy Greens in November
November is a great time to start planting leafy greens in your veggie gardens. Things like cabbage, kale, lettuce, chard, and spinach should be transplanted now. Bunching greens like collards and mustard are also great for this time of year.
With bulbs and bare-root plants in mind, you can successfully plant plenty of flowers in November. While you won't get to reap the rewards for a few months, November is the perfect time to prepare your spring garden. Here are your best bets so that you can have a garden full of beautiful blooms come springtime.
"While spring flowering bulbs won't show until spring, November is the month to plant spring flowering bulbs that require a cold period including tulips," Weber says.
Choose vegetables that are considered cool weather crops
Broccoli, greens, squash, peas, beans, and root vegetables, like beets, green onions, and turnips do well in fall gardens. Another not-so-obvious choice is the tomato plant. Tomatoes can suffer in the brutal Texas summer sun, but tend to flourish during the fall.
Vegetables to plant in November: Beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, collards, kale, kohlrabi, onions (seed & sets), radishes, spinach and strawberries. Vegetables to plant in December: Beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, kale, onions (seed & sets) and radishes.
Although each plant's needs may vary and some will be more winter-hardy than others, in general about a month before the last fall frost is sufficient in giving the plant enough time to establish itself and take root.
Certain herbs don't mind the cold: Thyme, rosemary, parsley, chives, and cilantro actually prefer cool temperatures. Some herbs are perennial, so you'll plant once and enjoy for years. Plant transplants now so you'll have fresh herbs for all the upcoming holiday feasts.
The hardiest of flowers can be planted as soon as the soil in your garden can be worked, even if it's several weeks before the last frost of the season. For half-hardy flowers, hold off until a couple weeks before the final frost, and for tender flowers, plant when there's no chance of frost for the rest of the season.
Vegetables such as carrots, kale, and onions mature quickly (even from seed) and yield a healthy harvest before the first frost. There are also a few flower varieties that can last through the cold weather to add color and texture to your flower beds. November is still prime time to be sowing bulbs of foxglove as well.
Generally, the growing season in Texas spans January 1st to October 15th, but these dates can vary. For example, the beginning of the planting period may not start until mid-April, and its end can fall between October 15th and December 31st.
While you can plant a late planting to the first frost date, it's always best to allow as much growing time as possible. If you missed the spring planting, then calculate which vegetables you can grow now and still have a harvest before the first frost.
Perennials. The newly emerged growth of most perennials can tolerate temperatures in the low 30s and upper 20s °F. This includes many early emerging perennials such as bleeding heart, daylily, catmint, and columbine. In most cases, early leaf growth on these plants will be just fine with cold temperatures.
Planting. Most perennials should be planted in the fall or early spring. Fall planting gives the plant more time to become established before the start of active growth in the spring. Fall-planted perennials are usually well-established before hot weather.
While planting grass seed in November is too late to make the fall growing season, there is a method called dormant seeding. Through dormant seeding, grass seed can be planted in November when the weather is cold enough to keep it dormant until the weather warms up in the spring.
Plant the tulip bulbs as soon as possible. Tulips and other spring-flowering bulbs can be planted as late as December if the soil isn't frozen. After planting, cover the area with several inches of straw, pine needles, or leaves. Mulching will give the bulbs additional time to root before the ground freezes.
November in Southern California USDA Zone 10b is the perfect time to start a variety of fall vegetables and flowers. You can either start directly from seed or buy ready to transplant from your local nursery.
Violas and Pansies
These hardy little flowers not only have gorgeous blooms but can survive almost anything winter has to dish out. Violas and pansies grow best in partial shade but need a minimum of four hours of sunlight a day.