What's in season: November

Cabbage plants for sale at Morden Hall Park Garden Centre — Seasonal plants and vegetables are grown peat-free for Morden Hall Park garden Centre

Warming dishes of fresh food are hard to beat at this time of year, so we're sharing our tops tips on harvesting, buying and cooking seasonal vegetables.

Tasty and nutritious root vegetables are abundant in November and make the perfect ingredients for heartwarming dishes stews, soups, bakes and tagines. You can also add extra flavour to your food with seasonal herbs such as sage and rosemary.

Vegetables to harvest and buy

Potatoes
Sprouts
Spring green cabbage
White cabbage
Red cabbage
Savoy cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Kale
Leeks

Preparing your garden for winter

Although the cold weather might make gardening a little more challenging, you’ll feel great for doing it, especially if you reward yourself with a nice warming cuppa.

If you've not done so yet, bring in your herbs to protect them from the frost, although hardy plants such as rosemary can be left to grow outside.

There's still some planting that can be done in November. Garlic and broadbeans can be planted in sheltered areas but carrots will need the added protection of a cold frame. Now that the fruit has finished, you can prune your soft-fruit plants back ready for next year.

Harvesting in the garden

Gardener holds a freshly picked parsnip at Speke Hall, Liverpool

Rows of leeks growing in the Walled Garden at Chartwell under blue skies in September

Brussel Sprouts growing in the Kitchen Garden at Chartwell, a National Trust property in Kent

Picking parsnips

Parsnips can be picked throughout the winter for a tasty soup or roast. It’s a good idea to pick a few for storage in case frozen soil makes harvesting impossible when you need them.

Lovely leeks

The versatile leek can be used to liven up all sorts of dishes but it needs to be carefully cleaned to remove soil from between the leaf layers.

Hardy herbs

Most herbs are too tender to survive winter outdoors, but there are few hardy varieties. Sage, thyme, tarragon, bay and rosemary can all be grown outside, preferably close to the kitchen door for easy access.

Cool cauliflowers

The humble cauliflower is a vegetable with a growing reputation. Many chefs have discovered its potential and elevated it beyond the trusty cauliflower-cheese bake.

Tasty sprouts

Sprouts are not just for Christmas and can be harvested as needed throughout the winter. They taste best after the first frost and should be picked from the bottom of the stalk upwards.

Child in wellies choosing gardening gloves by a strawberry bed — Getting ready to garden

Gardening tips and advice

We've asked our gardeners to share their top tips on how you can look after your garden during all seasons. Whether you want to know more about pruning, weeding, harvesting veg or replanting, you'll find all the answers here.

Read our tips here

This month we're talking about potatoes

The humble potato originated from South America. The Inca people of Peru grew potatoes from at least 5,000 BC and the vegetable was only introduced to Europe in the late 16th century.

Potatoes grown in the UK are usually classified as ‘earlies’ or ‘main crop’ depending on when they are harvested. Earlies are also called new potatoes and are harvested when small and young. Main crop varieties are left in the ground longer and become much larger. Growing a combination of both gives both variety and a continuous supply.

The final harvesting of main crops is usually in October or November and, once dried, these potatoes can be stored for eating through the winter.

A selection of gardening tools and accessories displayed against a brick wall. — For green-fingered inspiration, discover our unique garden accessories, tools and essentials.

Pick up some garden essentials

If your garden could do with a bit of a helping hand, you'll find everything you need in our online shop. From new bulbs and birdfeeders to practical tools, there are useful products for every season.

Pick up some garden essentials