Gardening in November may sound like the quiet end of the season, but for dedicated Bettendorf gardeners, it’s one of the most important months of the year. 

 

As autumn’s golden leaves fade and the last blooms surrender to frost, your garden is still full of opportunity. This is the final chapter before winter’s rest — a time to protect your hard work and prepare for spring’s revival. November might feel quiet in the garden, but there’s still important work to do before the ground freezes.

From deep watering to wrapping roses and applying Wilt Stop, these late-fall tasks help plants endure Iowa’s cold, dry winds. Whether you’re a long-time gardener or just finding your rhythm, this checklist will walk you through everything needed to secure your landscape and ensure a vibrant start next spring.

Deep Watering Before the Freeze

Think of deep watering as your garden’s final drink before hibernation. Trees and shrubs lose moisture all winter through their leaves and needles, especially evergreens exposed to cold prairie winds. Without enough water in their root systems, they can suffer from winter burn or dieback.

Before the ground freezes — typically late November in eastern Iowa — give your garden a slow, thorough soak. Focus on trees, evergreens, and established shrubs, especially those planted in the last two years. Water early in the day so excess moisture can soak in before temperatures drop at night.

At our garden center, you’ll find watering wands, soaker hoses, and moisture meters that make this step easier and more efficient. Once you’ve finished, remember to drain your hoses and store them — nothing ruins an upbeat spring mood faster than a cracked garden hose left frozen in the yard.

This single task might not look exciting, but it’s one of the most impactful. Well-hydrated plants enter dormancy healthier and emerge stronger once the thaw arrives.

Protect Roses & Tender Plants

November is the month to bundle up your garden’s divas — roses, and other tender perennials that resent the chill. Wait until after a few hard frosts, when plants have gone dormant, to begin covering and insulating them.

Start by cleaning up any diseased, damaged, or dead foliage around the base. Then, for hybrid teas and other less-hardy roses, mound mulch, or compost about 8–10 inches around the crown. Add a burlap wrap or rose cone for extra insulation. Hydrangeas and other woody perennials can be shielded with a simple frame made from stakes and twine, wrapped loosely with burlap to block cold winds while still allowing airflow.

Wallace’s carries everything you need — burlap rolls, garden stakes, twine, and premium mulch — to get the job done neatly and effectively.

A helpful tip: mark your covered plants with tall stakes so you can easily spot them under snow. It’s a small step that can save you from accidentally stepping on a sleeping beauty in January!

Evergreen Care with Wilt Stop or Anti-Desiccant Spray

If you’ve ever noticed boxwood, azalea, or holly turning brown and brittle by spring, you’ve seen what winter wind can do. When the soil is frozen, evergreens can’t replace the moisture they lose through their leaves, leading to severe dehydration.

That’s where Wilt Stop — also known as an anti-desiccant spray — comes in. It creates a thin, breathable film over foliage that locks in moisture and protects against drying winds and winter sun.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Choose a calm, dry day above 40°F.
   

2. Spray all sides of the foliage evenly, covering leaves and stems.
   

3. Allow it to dry completely before a freeze or snowfall.
   
   

If you’ve never tried Wilt Stop before, this is the perfect time to see how much difference it makes by spring. You’ll notice your evergreens hold their color better and recover faster once warmer days return. Wallace’s stocks Wilt Stop and similar plant protection products right in the garden supplies section — an essential item for late fall garden care in the Midwest.

Gardening in November is all about giving your plants the care they need to handle freezing temperatures, from deep watering trees and shrubs to protecting evergreens with Wilt Stop before winter sets in.

Finish Planting Bulbs & Clean Up Garden Beds

Just because the air is chilly doesn’t mean you’re done planting. You can keep planting bulbs until the ground is too hard to dig — usually around late November in Bettendorf. Tulips, daffodils, and alliums planted now will root just enough to stay safe through winter and burst forth beautifully in spring. You will thank yourself in March when the first flowers of spring pop up with their cheerful flowers!

When planting, dig holes two to three times as deep as the bulb’s height, place them pointy side up, and water well before covering. Sprinkle a bulb fertilizer or bone meal into the soil for an extra boost.

After planting, tidy up your garden beds. Pull out spent annuals, cut back perennials to 3–4 inches, and rake leaves from lawns and garden paths. Compost the healthy material and dispose of any diseased, dead, or damaged plant matter. Leave alone any perennials that have nice winter interest like ornamental grasses or coneflowers that provide food for the birds. 

Gardening in November gives Bettendorf gardeners a chance to finish important fall tasks like watering deeply, protecting evergreens, and planting the last round of bulbs before the ground freezes. You’ll thank yourself in April when those bulbs start popping up — especially if you took a few minutes to feed and clean now. We have a great selection of compost, bulb food, and tools to make this step quick and satisfying.

 

Feed & Mulch for Winter Protection

Before your garden tucks in for its long nap, give it one last nourishing meal. Late fall fertilizing helps build stronger roots that store energy through winter and fuel rapid growth in spring. Look for slow-release or low-nitrogen fertilizers designed for fall use — these encourage root health without pushing new growth that could be damaged by frost.

After feeding, add a layer of mulch (about 2–3 inches) around trees, shrubs, and perennials. Mulch acts like a blanket, insulating roots from extreme temperature swings and locking in soil moisture. Keep it a few inches away from trunks and stems to prevent rot.

Don’t forget the lawn. Mow the grass and mulch up any large leaves sitting on the lawn and make sure you have done a fall application of fertilizer.  This give the lawn the endurance it needs to get through the winter and green up quickly in the spring. 

Wallace’s carries a variety of fall fertilizers, composts, and mulching materials perfect for this step. If you’re unsure which one to choose, the staff can recommend the right blend for your soil type and garden style.

This step might not be glamorous, but it’s what separates a garden that merely survives winter from one that thrives come spring. It’s also a key part of winter prep for gardens, especially in climates with heavy freeze-thaw cycles.

 

Wrap Up & Encourage Next Steps

By now, your November to-do list should look satisfyingly complete — deep watering, protecting roses, spraying evergreens, planting bulbs, feeding, and mulching. Each task builds resilience, ensuring your landscape wakes up strong and ready when the first robins return.

November gardening isn’t about perfection — it’s about stewardship. A few hours spent outdoors this month will save you weeks of frustration in spring. So, pull on your gloves, pour yourself a mug of something warm, and spend a little time with your garden before snow settles in.

Stop by Wallace’s Garden Center this week to pick up everything you need to finish your fall garden prep — Wilt Stop, fertilizers, burlap, mulch, and watering tools.

Gardening in November is the bridge between the beauty of fall and the promise of spring — tend to it well, and Bettendorf, Iowa, gardening will reward you tenfold when the world thaws again!

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