What to plant in November in USDA zone 4

Sow outdoors in November — zone 4

Direct-sow these seeds into prepared garden beds or large containers. Soil temperature matters more than the calendar date — wait for a sustained warm-up before sowing tender crops.

• Final cover-crop sowings on bare ground

Harvest in November — zone 4

These crops should be ready or in active harvest in November for zone 4 gardens. Pick fruiting crops every 2-3 days to keep production going.

• Stored crops — winter squash, potatoes, onions, garlic

Maintenance in November — zone 4

• Mulch garlic, asparagus, strawberries before deep freeze

Prep and planning — zone 4

• Tool maintenance, hose drainage, garden journal

Universal November tasks

These apply across most US and UK gardens in November, regardless of zone.

• Mulch garlic, asparagus, strawberries, and perennials with 10-15 cm of straw or leaves.
• Plant garlic and shallots in zones 7-9 (last chance in most zones).
• Clean, sharpen, and oil tools before storing for winter.
• Empty hoses, drain rain barrels and irrigation lines before hard freeze.
• Cover empty beds with cover crops, mulch, or tarps.
• Order seeds and plan next year while the season is fresh in memory.

Why this works for zone 4

Zone 4 has average annual minimum temperatures of -30 to -20°F (-34 to -29°C) and a frost-free window from mid-May to mid-September — about 125 growing days. Tomatoes and peppers benefit from row covers in early season. Mulch heavily over winter for perennials and garlic.

Dates are zone-wide averages. Local microclimates (south-facing slopes, urban heat, lakeside warmth, elevation) can shift the window by 1-2 weeks within the same zone.

UK gardeners — November

November in the UK is for finishing garlic planting, sowing overwintering broad beans, and protecting tender plants. Harvest brussels sprouts, leeks, parsnips, kale, and main-crop apples. Mulch asparagus crowns and strawberry beds.

Source and methodology

Frost-date averages from NOAA Climate Data Online within USDA zone 4. Hardiness boundaries from the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023). Crop timing curated against US Cooperative Extension Service publications (UNL, UMN, NC State, Texas A&M, UF/IFAS, Oregon State) and cross-referenced against the RHS sowing calendar. Curated by the Growli editorial team.

Keep going

• ← October in zone 4
• December in zone 4 →
• All zones — what to plant in November
• USDA Zone 4 — frost dates and crop list
• Full 12-month planting calendar

Other zones — November

• What to plant in November in zone 3
• What to plant in November in zone 5
• What to plant in November in zone 6
• What to plant in November in zone 7
• What to plant in November in zone 8
• What to plant in November in zone 9
• What to plant in November in zone 10