I'm getting a jump on posting my November garden notes, because I want to
clear my blogging calendar for my holiday series. It's 10 parts, which will
take about a month, starting next week. I'll be updating this post as the
weather and other garden events require.
|
| My early November view from the goat barn. |
Rainfall
- 8th: 0.13"
- 21st: 0.01"
- 22nd: 0.62"
- 25th: 0.31"
- 30th: 0.25"
- Total: 1.32 inches
Temperature
- range of nighttime lows: 25 to 58°F (-4 to 14.4°C)
- range of daytime highs: 42 to 80°F (5.5 to 26.6°C)
First freeze: Nov. 11
- Outside: 25°F (-4°C)
- Greenhouse: 32°F (0°C)
Weather Notes
- We skipped first frost this year and when right to first freeze. There had been scattered frost in the neighborhood, but somehow it missed our garden.
- We could use some rain, but with cooler temperatures at least the ground doesn't dry out as quickly as it does in summer.
- Nov. 19th we had what felt like Indian Summer. We don't really have this seasonal reprieve here in the South, but it was reminiscent of my childhood.
Harvested
- lettuce
- kale
- cherry tomatoes
- Jerusalem artichokes
- red raspberries
- parsley
- oregano
- sweet potatoes
- green beans
- turnips
- collards
- carrot
- sage
- thyme
Transplanted
- lettuce
- kale
- broccoli
- aloe vera
- horseradish
- parsley
Preserved
- bell peppers, sliced and frozen
Garden notes
- I got the last of everything harvested before the freeze
- Garden chores now consist of finishing bed cleanup and mulching each.
- After I get the beds mulched, I'll start working on the aisles between the beds.
 |
| Raking and hauling leaves to the garden for mulch is an almost daily chore. |
More Photos
|
| Jerusalem artichokes |
The sunchokes were from a volunteer plant in a greenhouse container. Somehow
it survived the hot summer temps in the greenhouse and I think I only
watered it once out of pity. When I emptied out the pot for winter planting,
it was loaded with the chokes you see above.
Here's how the greenhouse looks at present -
This year's greenhouse experiment is peas. These are the edible pod peas we
like so well.
When I harvested the sweet potatoes, I decided to try digging up and potting
my bell pepper plants. I tried this several years ago but those didn't make
it. Maybe they'll do better in the greenhouse.
 |
| 4 potted bell pepper plants |
I also dug up one nicely sprouting sweet potato. So it went into a pot as
well.
 |
| Struggling sweet potato. I may have to move it indoors when it gets really cold. |
The other thing I did before the freeze was to cut off a bunch of cherry
tomato vines. These were set on the table in the carport. The leaves are
drying out but the tomatoes continue to ripen, so we're still eating fresh
cherry tomatoes even though the rest of the garden is done.
The weather has been lovely so I spend part of each afternoon working in the
garden. With sunny mild days in the upcoming forecast, I should get a lot done.
How about you? Anyone growing a fall garden? Anyone got a greenhouse?
Garden Notes: November 2025 © Nov. 2025
30 comments:
I too tried saving “springs” of green cherry tomatoes. I might not have saved enough of the associated foliage. There hasn’t been much ripening but then again there hasn’t been any rotting either. 👍
I finally went down to the farm and got the remains of our old cattle panel trellis and brought it to our garden and set it up for next year. But other than dreams, nothing is growing here.
We have kept pepper and tomato plants over winter inside our house. While we have successfully kept them that way all winter long and got the occasional fruit from them, we have never been able to keep them and get measurable quantities of produce from them. Likewise, we have never been able to put them out in the spring and get anything measurable from them. I've always chalked it up to a lack of heat and sunshine inside our house so perhaps your greenhouse will do better. I'll be interested to see your results.
Katie, I have no idea how much of the vine needs to be saved, so I cut them as close to the ground as I could. This was pretty much an experiment. So far so good, and I'll continue to do it in the future.
Ed that cattle panel trellis will come in handy. I guess it's pretty barren on the farm now.
You aren't trying anything in your greenhouse? I know yours would get colder than ours, but I'd still be tempted to try some of the winter hardy veggies.
I'm hoping our pepper plants make it! I'd be happy with even only an occasional pepper. The greenhouse will likely get too cold, though, if we get down to the single digits.
Looks like your garden will be quite successful. I want a greenhouse so bad!
Carol, we've only had our greenhouse for a couple of years now, so I'm still learning about growing in it. It's been wonderful for extending our gardening season. Highly recommended!
Our greenhouse gets cold enough to freeze during the heart of winter. I could be growing something in it now or in late winter if I cared to bundle up and haul water out to it but I enjoy the break to focus on other things.
Same here from hot to freeze back to hot no frost. I don’t remember frost from the freeze because it has been so dry. We are in fog season now. lol
Ed, in your climate it would be a lot more work, to be sure.
Mr. O, we usually have very dewy mornings, but haven't lately. I should pay more attention to the humidity readings. We actually had what I'd call a one day Indian Summer today! We usually don't get that down here.
Happy gardening
Thanks for dropping by my blog
Much♡love
First off I agree with Ed about cattle panels. They can easily be configured to do so many things.
I have a winter garden. However it is still in pots due to timing and got my plants a bit ahead. Cabbage, Brussels sprouts and
Broccoli.
We got hit by 8-10 inches in about 3 days making planting not a good choice. Hopefully they will hang in a few more days and I can get them next week.
Kept it light this year as my late summer efforts to add to my hens got out of hand and took the front stage in effort and housing needs.
Just when that calmed down the gardens got saturated in 8-10 inches in two days. I need to switch to the planting area and get them in soon or they won't be able to be done before I need the beds for Spring. Always a balancing dance.
I think my pepper plant is done without a second bloom (sadly), but everything else seems to be going dormant for the Winter as planned.
No winter garden here, at -8C everything is pretty much frozen solid. I harvested greens from the fall garden right up to mid-November though.
I've overwintered peppers, had them produce inside, small but usable, then planted them back out in the spring and harvested more fruit as the year progressed.
Watching your greenhouse experiments with interest!
I have wanted to plant and try sunchokes, but I could not find them anywhere here this year. I did get more kale cut here (much later than most years).
I love the vista from the goat barn!
Do you know the variety of lettuce you are growing now? I am still getting some lettuce, kale and leeks from our beds, and the cabbage and broccoli is looking promising.
We have also had a freeze already, but at the moment are enjoying a beautiful autumn.
Enjoy the bounty!
Gillena, you're welcome! Thank you for dropping by mine. :)
Goatldi, it's a never ending balancing dance! Figuring out best planting times is a real challenge. I always think my experience will help here, but everything is just too unpredictable. I suppose it keeps us on our toes. :)
TB, that's very encouraging. There always seem to be casualties, but it sounds like your balcony/indoor plans are going well.
Rosalea, if I lived where you do I wouldn't be doing a winter garden either. :)
That's very encouraging about the pepper plants! I hope mine do the same.
Kristina, kale seems to be very dependable.
Can you usually find sunchokes in your area? They are nice for winter harvest (providing the ground isn't frozen solid).
Daisy, the lettuce is from saved seed I first collected a couple of years ago. I saved it because even when the plants were bolting, it wasn't bitter. That made it a definite keeper.
Nice to hear you're getting so much from your garden. Everything is especially welcome this time of year.
Hi, Leigh! It's been a long time since I visited your blog, and I'm glad that you put a link on Rain's post. I enjoyed reading your Garden Notes. I'm a big fan of the show "Homestead Rescue," so I understand something of how challenging and rewarding your lifestyle is. I have neither a greenhouse nor a fall garden ~ Maybe in another life. I greatly admire what you are achieving!
I love the greenhouse! What do you use for potting soil? Is it from your garden and do you add amendments?
Louise! Wow, it's good to to hear from you! I've been pretty much out of the blogging loop myself. Hopefully this winter will change that. :)
I confess we've slowed down a lot as we've gotten older. Fortunately, we got our infrastructure stuff out of the way when we first got here, so now it's maintaining, which is more manageable. I really do like this lifestyle.
Anonymous, thank you! For a long time I wondered if it would ever get built, but there it is. Our climate is hot and humid in summer, so I can't use it then, and I'm learning about the best time to grow plants in it.
To your question, yes, I use garden soil and add compost with a bit of Azomite rock dust for trace minerals.
I've had 3 years of good luck with digging out celery plants and potting them up for winter. I learned to keep as much of a root ball on as possible, trim up roots, and then fit it all in a bucket, etc. Clay seems to work best for me as it clings to the roots and holds water well. I set the pots in a cool, somewhat sunny room. I can harvest into april/may even tho sometimes the celery gets leggy. I'm still experimenting with this!
Wow, that's interesting! I've grown celery from cut ends, but I've not had much success growing it outside yet. Still, to keep it going overwinter would be well worth experimenting with.
Have you tried cold frames for plants that don’t dig up well? Also, does your keyhole garden keep plants warm longer since it’s made of brick? Thanks!
Anonymous, those are really good questions. The challenge I have is that here in the southeastern US, our winters can range from very cold to very mild. I didn't have cold frames, but I tried a covered hoophouse for winter growing and when the temps were in the 60s, the hoophouse got too warm and everything bolted. The same is true in the greenhouse.
You're correct that the keyhole garden holds heat in the bricks, although I haven't used them much for winter gardening.
Post a Comment