November garden tasks: Northeast and Long Island

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Finish planting while the soil is workable

In zone 7 (Long Island, New York City, coastal New Jersey), the average first frost falls around November 7. The soil usually stays workable well into December, so November is still a planting month there. In zone 5 the ground can freeze by late November, and anything not yet in should go in during the first half of the month.

• Garlic: zones 6–7 can plant through early November. Planting at this point also helps avoid the fall flight of allium leafminer, which Penn State Extension recommends where the pest is present.
• Tulips and leftover bulbs: bulbs left in a bag will not survive until spring, so plant any you still have as long as you can dig. Tulips planted in November in zones 6–7 do fine.
• Bare-root trees and shrubs: per the September guide, bare-root stock can be planted in October and November. Water it in deeply.

Harvest the last carrots, beets and leeks, or mulch them heavily with straw to dig through early winter in zone 7. Kale, collards and Brussels sprouts keep going under row cover through much of November on Long Island.

Water evergreens until the ground freezes

Broadleaf evergreens such as rhododendron, holly, boxwood and mountain laurel, along with needled evergreens such as yews and arborvitae, keep losing water through their leaves all winter. They cannot replace that water once the soil freezes. Per UMass Extension, going into winter well watered is the most effective protection against winter burn (browned foliage on the sunny, windy side).

• If November is dry, soak evergreens and anything planted this year every 7–10 days until the ground freezes. A slow, deep soak works better than a quick spray.
• Put a 2–3 inch layer of mulch over the root zone and keep it pulled back a few inches from trunks. See mulching around trees.
• For exposed evergreens on windy or south-facing sites, set up a burlap screen on stakes on the windward side. Do not wrap burlap tightly around the plant, which can trap heat and moisture against the foliage.
• Antitranspirant sprays are sold for winter burn, but research results are mixed. A Rutgers primer on anti-transpirants covers how they work and their limits. They do not replace watering and siting.

Winter mulch: wait for the freeze

Winter mulch on perennials, strawberries and roses is meant to keep frozen soil frozen. That prevents the freeze-thaw cycles that heave shallow-rooted plants out of the ground. Put it down too early and it keeps the soil warm, invites voles to nest, and can delay hardening off.

• Timing: apply after the top inch or two of soil has frozen, usually late November in zone 5 and December in zones 6–7.
• Materials: straw, shredded leaves or evergreen boughs, which can include the trimmings from holiday trees. Avoid whole, unshredded maple leaves, which mat down into a soggy layer.
• Roses: for grafted hybrid teas in zones 5–6, mound soil or compost over the base of the canes after several hard freezes. Own-root shrub roses usually need nothing. See winter protection for roses.
• Bigleaf hydrangeas: do not prune them now. Per UMass Extension, old-wood types set next year's flower buds in late summer, and fall pruning cuts them off.

More detail is in our guide to winter protection for perennials.

Protect plants from deer, rabbits and voles

Deer pressure climbs through late fall and winter as natural food runs short. Yews, arborvitae, rhododendrons and young fruit trees are the usual targets. UConn's deer damage fact sheet and Rutgers NJAES both treat fencing as the only reliable protection. Repellents reduce damage but do not stop it.

• Fence or net high-value plants: wrap individual shrubs in deer netting, or fence small groups, for the winter.
• Repellents: apply before browsing starts, reapply on the label schedule and after heavy rain, and rotate products so deer do not get used to one. Many repellents need temperatures above freezing to dry, so treat on mild days.
• Rabbits and voles: put cylinders of hardware cloth around the trunks of young fruit and ornamental trees. Make them tall enough to clear the expected snow line, since rabbits feed from the top of the snowpack, and push the bottom edge into the soil to stop voles. Pull mulch away from trunks so voles cannot nest against the bark. See winter tree wraps.

If you are planning new beds, our deer-resistant plants for New York list is a better long-term answer than repellents.

Plan ahead for road and sidewalk salt

Deicing salt damages plants in two ways. Salt spray from roads browns the foliage of evergreens. Salty meltwater soaks into the soil, where it dries out roots and breaks down soil structure. Per UMass Extension, the most effective steps are reducing how much salt you use and keeping it out of planting beds.

• Before the first storm, decide where shoveled snow from walks and driveways will go, and keep it off foundation beds and lawn edges.
• Shovel early and often so less deicer is needed. Use sand or grit for traction where melting is not essential.
• Put up burlap screens between busy roads and salt-sensitive evergreens such as white pine and hemlock.
• Along the coast and on roadside strips, choose salt-tolerant plants for future plantings. Our coastal salt tolerance guide has options.

Scrape spotted lanternfly egg masses

Spotted lanternfly adults die off with hard frosts. Their eggs spend the winter in flat, mud-colored masses about an inch long on tree bark, stone, fences, outdoor furniture and vehicles. The pest is established across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, the New York City area and Long Island, so November through spring is the time to look for them.

• Per Penn State Extension, scrape egg masses into a bag or container of rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer, or crush them thoroughly.
• Check the undersides of branches, the trunks of tree-of-heaven and maples, and anything stored outdoors that you plan to move, such as firewood, trailers and patio furniture.
• Do not move firewood or outdoor items out of quarantine areas without checking them first.

Hoses, tools and the shed

Before the first hard freeze:

• Disconnect, drain and coil garden hoses. Shut off and drain outdoor spigots that do not have frost-proof valves.
• Drain drip irrigation lines and store timers and filters indoors.
• Clean soil off digging tools, sharpen edges, and wipe metal with a light coat of oil. Penn State's Year-Round Gardening series covers cleaning and sharpening. Rub linseed oil into wooden handles.
• Empty or stabilize fuel in gas-powered equipment according to the owner's manual.
• Store leftover liquid pesticides and fertilizers where they will not freeze, and keep them in their original labeled containers.

Do not fertilize the lawn now. On Long Island, Suffolk County bans lawn fertilizer from November 1 to April 1, and New Jersey's homeowner blackout begins November 15. Rake or shred leaves off the lawn one last time so they do not smother the grass under snow.

Common mistakes

Frequently asked

Is it too late to plant bulbs in November?

Not in zones 6–7. As long as you can dig, plant them. Bulbs left in storage over winter usually dry out and die. In zone 5, plant as early in November as possible and water them in.

Should I wrap my arborvitae for winter?

Wrap them if deer feed in your yard or the shrubs sit in heavy snow-load or road-salt areas. Deer netting stops browsing. Loosely tying the stems together keeps snow from splaying multi-stem arborvitae. A burlap screen protects against wind and salt spray. Do not wrap burlap tightly around the foliage.

When do I cut back my perennials?

Healthy perennials can stand through winter and be cut back in spring. Cut down diseased foliage and mushy plants such as hostas after a hard frost, and throw out the debris.

Do I need to keep watering after the leaves drop?

Yes, for evergreens and anything planted this year, whenever the fall is dry. Per the September guide, keep irrigating until the ground freezes, typically late November to December in zones 6–7.

Sources

1. Protecting Evergreens in Winter Q&A, UMass Extension
2. Impact of Salts on Plants and How to Reduce Plant Injury from Winter Salt Applications, UMass Extension
3. Deer Damage and Control, UConn Home and Garden Education Center
4. Deer in the New Jersey Landscape and Garden, Rutgers NJAES
5. Growing Tips: Hydrangeas, Pruning for Blooms, UMass Extension
6. Primer on Anti-Transpirant Applications, Rutgers Plant and Pest Advisory
7. Cleaning Garden Tools, Penn State / WPSU Year-Round Gardening
8. How to Remove Spotted Lanternfly Eggs, Penn State Extension

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