November in New Zealand is a key time in the vegetable garden, especially as the weather warms up and growth starts to pick up. Here are some tasks you can focus on during this month for your organic vegetable garden:
Planting Summer Crops:
Hopefully you did all your spring planting plans a month ago, but if you’re not sure what you want to plant then just think about what you want to eat, what reminds you of summer?
• Tomatoes: Start planting seedlings if you haven’t already. Make sure the soil is well-drained and enriched with compost.
• Cucumbers, Peppers, and Squash: These thrive in warmer temperatures, so now’s a good time to plant them if you haven’t already.
• Beans: Sow direct into the soil. They are great companions for many crops, improving soil nitrogen.
• Sweetcorn: If you’re growing sweetcorn, now’s the time to plant, as they need warm soil to germinate.
• Herbs: Basil, coriander, oregano, and parsley can go in now for a summer harvest.
Direct Sowing:
Carrots, Beets, Radishes, and Spinach: These root vegetables can be sown now. Keep the soil moist to ensure good germination.
Lettuce, Rocket, and Other Leafy Greens: These do well in the cooler parts of November, so sow them for a summer harvest.
Mulching:
• Apply a fresh layer of organic mulch to retain soil moisture and reduce weed growth. Mulch also helps regulate soil temperature, especially with the increasing heat.
• Use compost, straw, or wood chips. Make sure the mulch isn't too thick (no more than 5–10 cm) so that the soil can breathe.
Weeding:
• Continue to keep on top of weeds, which grow fast in spring. Cut weeds off at the base and compost the tops regularly before they set seed.
Companion Planting:
• Continue to practice companion planting. For example, plant marigolds near tomatoes to help deter pests, or grow nasturtiums as a trap crop for aphids and other pests.
• Consider planting herbs like rosemary and thyme to repel pests from vegetables like cabbage and broccoli.
Pest Management:
• Check for pests: Look out for aphids, whiteflies, and caterpillars, especially as the temperature rises. We’ve had a lot of the giant willow aphids this year so I have been managing them with squishing and neem oil which seems to be keeping numbers manageable. Hoping a good feed of the system and some spring vitality will help the system to take care of this itself.
• Neem oil or other organic options: Use natural insecticides like neem oil or an insecticidal soap to manage pests organically if they are getting into high numbers. Also observe to see where there may be any imbalances in your system which is creating these situations. A small amount of insect pests are actually good as they provide food for the beneficial insects.
• Diatomaceous earth: This can be sprinkled around the base of plants to deter slugs and snails.
• Encourage beneficial insects: Plant flowers like lavender, dill, and yarrow to attract pollinators and predators that control pests naturally.
Feeding Plants:
• As the weather warms, plants will need more nutrients to support their growth. Feed them with compost tea or seaweed extract to provide essential nutrients. For my smaller raised garden beds and my seedlings, I’m feeding weekly, and in my bigger beds I tend to follow the moon cycle for liquid feeding i.e. 4-5 days after the first quarter waxing moon.
• You can also apply a balanced organic fertilizer if your plants appear to be lacking nutrients. Just sitting quietly with your hands in the soil can often bring the answers to what your garden needs, even I need to keep reminding myself to do this.
Watering:
• With the increasing heat, watering will become more important. Water early in the morning or two hours before sunset to avoid water loss due to evaporation or leaves staying wet overnight and causing more fungal issues.
• Consider installing a soaker hose or drip irrigation to provide consistent moisture and reduce water wastage. Plants that grow in dryer climates (think Mediterranean) prefer drip irrigation rather than water on their leaves.
Staking and Supporting Plants:
• As tall plants like tomatoes, beans, and peas start to grow, provide supports such as stakes, cages, or trellises.
• This will help prevent damage from wind and support healthier, straighter growth.
Crop Rotation and Soil Health:
• Plan for crop rotation to avoid soil depletion and the build-up of pests and diseases. Don't plant the same family of crops (like tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants) in the same area year after year.
• Keep adding organic matter (compost or well-rotted manure) to maintain soil health.
Harvesting:
• Early crops: x If you have early crops like lettuce, spinach, or radishes, start harvesting them as they mature.
• Herbs: You can start to harvest herbs like mint, parsley, and basil to use fresh or dry for winter.
Compost Management:
• Keep an eye on your compost heap. The warmer weather speeds up decomposition, so make sure it stays moist but not too wet, and turn it regularly to ensure even breakdown.
Green Manure:
• Consider planting a green manure crop (such as clover or mustard) in areas that are not currently in use. These crops help to improve soil structure, add organic matter, and fix nitrogen. Kings Seeds have some great options and I find they have really consistent germination rates.
Hopefully that helps you get started on your November garden ‘to do’ list. If you have any questions, just let me know. Remember that we also have generations of gardening information stored within our cells that can be tapped into at any time if we can create the space within our busy minds to listen to this wisdom. Now go grow!
