November in the Garden – Chem-Free and Growing Strong
Summer is fast approaching, and now’s the time to get your hands dirty and prepare for Christmas and the warm months ahead. A little effort now will reward you with a garden that’s bright, colourful and healthy — just in time for those summer barbecues and long evenings outdoors.
At Harmony, we’re proud to bring you our Harmony Grown – Chem-Free Range, a collection of plants raised right here using organic principles and no synthetic sprays. These plants are nurtured with living soils, compost, beneficial biology and natural predator control — it’s our commitment to cleaner, healthier gardens for you, your family, and the planet. Look for the Chem-Free tags around the nursery — they’re grown with care right here at Harmony.
Vegies to Plant Now
November is one of the most productive months in the garden — food almost seems to jump out of the soil.
Now’s the time to get stuck into planting Asian greens, beans, beetroot, capsicum, chilli, celery, cucumber, eggplant, kohlrabi, herbs, leeks, lettuce, okra, onions, pumpkins, squash, radish, spinach, swede, strawberries, tomatoes, turnips, zucchini and the very last week of certified seed potato
Sow sweetcorn, carrot, parsnip and peas directly into well-prepared soil.
If you’re planting brassicas like broccoli or cauliflower, give them a sunny position with a bit of afternoon shade — it helps stop them bolting to seed as the days get warmer.
Our first batch of Harmony exclusive sweet potatoes has just hit the shelves, with more varieties following soon!
Tomatoes – Let’s Get Them Cranking
Now that Hobart Show Day has passed, it’s tomato time! As the sun strengthens and the soil warms, tomatoes will really take off.
At planting, mix in a handful of dolomite lime or finely pulverised eggshells to supply calcium and help prevent blossom end rot. Consistent, steady watering is just as important — irregular watering is the biggest cause of end rot. Aim to keep the soil evenly moist, not wet. A deep soak every few days and a layer of mulch will help maintain that balance.
When it comes to feeding, go easy early on. Fish emulsion and seaweed are perfect for getting plants established, and a little blood and bone gives slow, steady nutrition. Hold off on the rich, high-potassium tomato foods until later in the season, once fruit have started to set — too much of that too soon can actually cause end rot and excess leafy growth.
Stake your plants early, remove the lower leaves as they grow, and enjoy watching them thrive.
Our Harmony Grown – Chem-Free tomatoes are raised right here without synthetic sprays — strong, healthy plants that love Tassie conditions.
Lawns
This is your last good window to sow or repair lawns before summer.
Raise your mower blades — leaving the grass slightly longer helps shade the soil and conserve moisture. Deep, less frequent watering encourages roots to go deeper, and applying water-retention granules now will make a real difference once the heat kicks in.
A bit of effort now will reward you with a resilient, green lawn all summer long.
November Garden Tasks
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Pots & baskets: water regularly and feed weekly with a liquid fertiliser such as Powerfeed, Maxicrop, or a soluble bloom booster.
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Summer colour: plant Alyssum, Celosia, Cosmos, Impatiens, Lobelia, Nasturtium, Marigold, Petunia, Phlox, Portulaca, Zinnia.
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Roses: fertilise with Sudden Impact and watch for aphids and thrips – encourage ladybirds and lacewings to help control them naturally.
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Hydrangeas: starting to flower beautifully now — ideal for shaded areas or pots.
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Codling moth traps: set them now to protect your apples and pears.
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Mulch garden beds: keeps moisture in, weeds down, and makes everything look great for Christmas.
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Feed citrus and treat scale or sooty mould with a horticultural oil.
- New season citrus has just arrived for planting now
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Protea: trim spent blooms.
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Fruit trees: mulch with sugarcane mulch or pea straw.
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Azalea, camellia, rhododendron: remove spent flowers, then feed with an acid-loving fertiliser once flowering has finished.
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Lawn grubs: flood suspect patches with soapy water and let the birds do the rest.
In a Nutshell
November is a big month in the garden — everything’s bursting to grow. Prepare your soil, plant generously, water steadily, and mulch well. Keep feeding gentle and natural early on, then boost with potassium once fruiting begins.
Every Harmony Grown – Chem-Free plant you take home supports our promise to grow naturally, locally, and sustainably — the way gardening should be.
Happy Gardening