November marks a significant transition in the California garden, offering a prime planting opportunity. Cooling temperatures and typically moist soil create an ideal environment for establishing strong root systems before winter rains and spring growth. This period is perfectly suited for sowing and transplanting cool-season vegetables, hardy herbs, and flowering ornamentals. Successful gardening depends on understanding your specific local climate, as November conditions vary widely across California’s vast geography.
Decoding California’s November Climate Zones
California’s extensive topography makes November planting highly variable, requiring gardeners to look beyond a single state-wide recommendation. Mild, frost-free conditions in Coastal and Southern California allow for continuous planting and harvesting of cool-season crops throughout the winter. These areas benefit from the marine layer, which moderates temperatures and keeps the ground from freezing, making direct sowing successful.
Moving inland to the Central Valley or higher elevation Foothill areas, gardeners must contend with winter frost. Planting here focuses on crops that withstand light freezes or establish roots now for early spring growth. Gardeners in these inland zones should be prepared to use row covers or cloches to protect tender transplants when temperatures dip near freezing. The difference in microclimates means plants that thrive in Southern California might require a head start or protection in Northern or Central California.
Edible Crops for Cool-Season Planting
November is the time to plant hardy leafy greens, which flourish in the cooler, shorter days of late fall and winter. Greens such as spinach, kale, and Swiss chard are excellent choices, as cold temperatures sweeten their flavor profiles by increasing sugar content. Lettuce, especially butterhead and romaine varieties, can be planted from seed or starts for a continuous harvest, since the mild weather prevents them from bolting prematurely as they do in summer heat.
Root vegetables are ideal for direct seeding this month, provided the soil is loose and well-amended. Carrots, radishes, and beets should be sown directly where they are to grow, as their taproots make transplanting difficult. Radishes mature quickly, sometimes in as little as three weeks, offering one of the fastest harvests from a November planting. Beets offer the double benefit of edible roots and flavorful greens, while turnips can be grown for both the root and the tender foliage.
The brassica family, which includes broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower, can be planted now, though they are often more successful when set out as transplants rather than seeds. These crops require a long, cool season to form their heads properly, and planting established seedlings in November gives them the necessary time. November is also the ideal time to plant garlic cloves and onion sets directly into the soil for a summer harvest of alliums. Hardy herbs like parsley and cilantro thrive in the cool weather, and cilantro will resist bolting until the spring warmth returns.
Flowers and Ornamentals for Winter Color
November is the perfect window for planting cool-season annuals for continuous winter color. Pansies and violas are frost-tolerant and produce masses of blooms that can last until late spring. Other annual choices include calendula, snapdragons, and stock, which provide vertical elements and fragrance to the winter garden.
November is the ideal month for planting spring-flowering bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. These bulbs require a period of winter chill (vernalization) to initiate flowering, and planting them now allows them to experience the necessary cool soil temperatures. Gardeners in the mildest coastal zones may need to artificially chill some bulbs in a refrigerator before planting to ensure proper bloom. Planting hardy perennials and California natives, such as Manzanita or Chaparral Currant, is also recommended, as winter rains help establish deep root systems.
Essential November Gardening Preparation
November requires several preparatory tasks to ensure the success of the cool-season garden. Soil health is a priority, making this the time to incorporate organic matter by adding a thick layer of compost to all garden beds. For areas remaining empty over winter, sowing a cover crop like fava beans or clover prevents soil erosion, suppresses weeds, and enriches the soil when turned under in spring.
Garden cleanup involves removing spent summer crops, which reduces overwintering sites for pests and diseases. Other essential tasks include:
- Preparing deciduous trees and shrubs for dormancy by cleaning up fallen leaves and beginning structural pruning.
- Preparing planting sites for bare-root fruit trees and roses that will become available in the coming months.
- Setting out organic slug and snail bait, as these pests become active during damp, cool periods.