November marks a significant shift in the Southern California gardening calendar, transitioning from the intense heat of summer to a mild, Mediterranean winter growing season. Characterized by cooler temperatures and shorter daylight hours, this period offers a unique opportunity to cultivate crops and flowers that would perish in the summer sun. November is the time for proactive planting, setting the stage for abundant harvests and vibrant displays throughout the late fall, winter, and early spring. The average daily evapotranspiration rate drops considerably, signaling that plants require less frequent watering than during the peak summer months. Gardeners take advantage of this temperate climate window to establish cool-season varieties that thrive in the absence of severe frost.
Essential Cool-Weather Edibles
The arrival of cooler temperatures means the garden is ready to welcome a wide array of leafy greens and root vegetables that prefer mild conditions. These cool-season crops perform best when planted in November, allowing them to establish strong root systems before winter.
Leafy Greens and Herbs
November is the prime time for planting leafy greens, which flourish in cooler soil and air temperatures without the risk of prematurely bolting. Lettuce varieties, including romaine and butterhead, can be sown directly or transplanted from seedlings for quicker harvests. Spinach and kale are cold-hardy, and their flavor often sweetens after exposure to a light frost.
These greens require at least six hours of full sun daily and benefit from regular moisture to encourage tender leaf growth. Cilantro and parsley are also excellent choices; the lower temperatures prevent the rapid flowering and bitterness that plagues these herbs during the summer. Succession planting, where small batches are sown every few weeks, ensures a continuous supply of fresh leaves into spring.
Root Vegetables and Brassicas
Root vegetables planted now have time to develop fully underground before the spring warm-up encourages top growth. Carrots, radishes, and beets are ideal for direct seeding into deeply tilled soil free of large stones or clods, which can cause root forking. Radishes are the fastest to mature, often ready for harvest in three to four weeks, making them perfect for filling gaps between slower-growing plants.
The Brassica family, which includes broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, should be planted from transplants now to ensure they reach maturity before summer. These crops are heavy feeders and benefit from soil rich in organic matter to support the development of their dense heads and stalks. Peas, both shelling and snap varieties, can also be sown directly, requiring a sturdy trellis or support structure to climb throughout the mild winter.
Vibrant Winter Flowers and Ornamentals
November planting is not limited to edibles; it is also the season to establish annuals, perennials, and bulbs that will provide color through the winter and spring. These ornamentals are selected for their tolerance of cooler temperatures and their ability to thrive in Southern California’s mild climate.
Cool-Season Annuals and Bulbs
Pansies and their smaller cousins, violas, are reliable annuals for winter color, offering a profusion of blooms in a wide range of hues that can withstand occasional light frost. Pairing them with cool-season bloomers like calendula, known for its bright orange and yellow flowers, and snapdragons creates a dense, layered aesthetic. Transplants of these annuals establish quickly in the cool, moist soil and provide immediate visual impact in beds and containers.
Certain spring-blooming bulbs, such as daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips, should be planted now. Tulips and some hyacinth varieties require pre-chilling in a refrigerator for six to ten weeks before planting. This artificial cooling simulates the necessary winter dormancy required to initiate spring flowering. Direct sowing of California poppy seeds is also recommended in November, as winter rains naturally facilitate their germination for a mass bloom display.
Shrubs and Perennials
The mild winter is an excellent time to plant evergreen shrubs and perennials that will anchor the garden’s structure. Camellia japonica, the “Rose of Winter,” is a shade-loving shrub that produces vibrant flowers from late fall through early spring. Helleborus orientalis, or Lenten Rose, thrives in shaded spots and offers cup-shaped flowers that bloom when little else does.
These structural plants benefit from being planted in November because cooler weather reduces transplant shock, allowing them to focus energy on root development. Although most of Southern California avoids hard freezes, establishing a healthy root system now is the best defense against potential cold stress later.
Preparing Soil and Managing Water Needs
Successful November planting depends on adjusting soil composition and changing summer watering practices to accommodate the cooler, shorter days. Soil preparation focuses on improving drainage and enriching the planting medium for the extended cool-season growth cycle.
Southern California soils are often heavy clay or fast-draining sand, both of which benefit significantly from incorporating organic matter. Blending aged compost into the top six to eight inches of soil improves the structure of clay and helps sandy soil retain moisture and nutrients. This amendment ensures that roots have access to both air and water, preventing waterlogged conditions that can lead to root rot.
Water management must be adjusted drastically from the summer routine, as the average daily temperature drops and the risk of overwatering increases. Overwatering is a common cause of plant loss in mild winters because the reduced rate of evapotranspiration means soil dries out much more slowly. Automatic irrigation systems should be reduced by at least 30 to 50 percent, or often turned off entirely, with watering only occurring if there has been no significant rainfall for two weeks.
Applying a two- to three-inch layer of organic mulch, such as shredded bark or straw, helps regulate soil temperature and conserve moisture during dry spells, which are still common in the region. It is important to pull the mulch back a couple of inches from the base of plant stems and crowns to prevent excess moisture accumulation, which can promote fungal diseases in the cooler, damp environment.