November in the fruit garden: 6 jobs for bigger harvests next year
Shwmae, everyone!
We've already shared our big November to-do list and a frost checklist this month, so today we're heading down to the fruit patch. A little care now means more berries next summer, and November is one of the best months of the year to plant new fruit bushes.
1. Plant fruit bushes while the soil is still warm
Pot-grown fruit can go in any time the ground isn't frozen or waterlogged, and autumn planting gives roots all winter to settle. Redcurrant 'Jonkheer van Tets' holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit and crops from June to August, while the Joan J raspberry is virtually thornless and fruits from late July right through to October. Browse all our fruit plants.
2. Prune redcurrants once the leaves drop
Winter, while the bush is dormant, is the time to prune. Take out any dead, damaged or crossing branches and aim for an open goblet shape, so air and light can reach the middle. Then shorten this year's side shoots back to a bud or two.
3. Leave autumn raspberries until late winter
Autumn-fruiting raspberries like Joan J crop on canes that grew this year. Once they've finished, you can leave the old canes standing until February, then cut them all down to ground level. Fresh canes pop up in spring and fruit again the following autumn. Easy!
4. Tidy up the strawberries
Pull off old brown or spotty leaves and snip away any runners you don't need, so plants don't sit soggy all winter. Our Honeoye strawberries were bred for UK conditions and give sweet berries from mid-May. Save the straw for spring, when the fruits start to form.
5. Mulch with peat-free goodness
Spread a few centimetres of homemade compost or leaf mould around fruit bushes, leaving a small gap around the stems. It feeds the soil, keeps roots snug and holds back weeds.
6. Plan for cordial season
Fancy homemade elderflower cordial? Elder is super fast growing, with creamy, fragrant summer flowers and dark berries in autumn, and it's lovely in a native hedge. Plant now and you could be picking flowers in a season or two. Elderberries must always be cooked before eating, and please don't eat any plant without checking it's safe.
One note for pet owners: redcurrants are toxic to dogs and cats if eaten, so keep an eye on curious noses. You'll find more ideas in our edible garden plants, all grown peat-free at our Wenvoe nursery and dispatched within 48 hours.
Until next time, happy gardening!
Garden City Cymru