November sounds like the end of the gardening year. For about half the country, it isn’t. Cold zones have one or two jobs left before the ground freezes. Warm zones are just starting their best growing season.
Here in Zone 8b on Washington’s Kitsap Peninsula, November is garlic month. [YOUR NOTE: one line on what you’re planting this week.]
[PHOTO: your garden or raised beds this week]
Find your zone below. If you don’t know it, the interactive planting list lets you pick your USDA zone and month and shows what to plant.
Zones 3 and 4: Beat the Freeze
By November, the ground is frozen in much of Zones 3 and 4. If yours can still be dug, you have a short window.
- Garlic: plant cloves now if the soil is workable, then cover with 4–6 inches of straw.
- Spring bulbs: tulips, daffodils and crocus can go in until the ground freezes.
- Indoors: start microgreens and kitchen herbs on a sunny windowsill.
If the ground is already frozen, spend the month planning. Seed catalogs arrive soon, and cold zones need the earliest indoor seed-starting dates.
Zones 5 and 6: Last Call for Garlic and Bulbs
Early November is still planting time in most of Zones 5 and 6.
- Garlic and shallots: plant in the first half of the month.
- Tulips and daffodils: plant until the soil freezes.
- Spinach: sow under a cold frame or row cover for an early spring harvest.
Mulch garlic once the soil cools, not before. Mulching too early keeps the soil warm and can push top growth before winter.
Zone 7: More Time Than You Think
Zone 7 gardeners can keep planting cool-season crops with a little protection.
- Garlic, shallots and onion sets: all can go in this month.
- Kale, spinach and lettuce: plant under row cover for winter and early spring harvests.
- Spring bulbs: prime planting time.
Zone 8: A Second Planting Season
This is my zone. Mild, wet winters mean many crops keep growing slowly all season.
- Garlic and elephant garlic: November is ideal.
- Fava beans: sow now for a late spring harvest.
- Overwintering onions: plant sets or transplants now.
- Kale, chard and collards: transplants keep producing through winter.
[YOUR NOTE: one thing that surprised you about Zone 8b winters at Gamble Bay.]
Zone 9: Your Garden Season Just Started
In Zone 9, summer heat is finally gone. Cool-season vegetables do best now.
- Direct sow: lettuce, spinach, carrots, beets, radishes and peas.
- Transplant: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and kale.
- Garlic: plant now, but chill the cloves in the fridge for several weeks first. Warm winters don’t give garlic enough cold on their own.
Zone 10: Plant Almost Everything Cool-Season
Zone 10 covers Southern California, South Florida and the warmest parts of Texas and Arizona.
- Vegetables: lettuce, carrots, beets, broccoli, peas and onions.
- Herbs: cilantro, dill and parsley, which bolt fast in summer heat.
- Strawberries: plant now for a late winter and spring harvest.
Zone 11: Hawaii and Puerto Rico
With no frost, Zone 11 can grow most vegetables year-round. The challenge is heat and heavy rain, not cold. November and December are good months for lettuce, herbs and leafy greens, which struggle in the hottest months.
Your Zone Is Only the First Clue
USDA zones are based on average winter low temperatures. They don’t tell you your frost dates, summer heat or rainfall. Before you plant, check three things:
- Your first frost date. Count back from it using the days to maturity on the seed packet.
- Soil temperature. A soil thermometer costs a few dollars and saves wasted seed.
- The next 10 days of weather. Hold off during a hard freeze or heat wave.
Plan Next Year While You Remember This One
November is the best time to write down what worked and what didn’t. I keep mine in the Garden & Pantry Planner [ADD PRODUCT LINK], a 42-page printable planner with planting logs, bed maps and a harvest tracker.
FAQ
Can you plant anything in November? Yes. Cold zones can still plant garlic and spring bulbs if the ground isn’t frozen. Zones 8 through 11 can plant a full range of cool-season vegetables.
Is November too late to plant garlic? Not in Zones 5 through 10. In Zones 3 and 4, plant only if the soil can still be dug.
What vegetables grow over winter? Garlic, kale, spinach, fava beans and overwintering onions all handle winter well in mild zones, especially with row cover.
How do I find my USDA zone? Enter your ZIP code on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, or use our planting list once you know it.