Start chatting seed potatoes from the end of February.Renovate deciduous hedges such as Beech and Hawthorn. Hard prune only the top or one side this winter.Delay turning your compost heap until later in the spring as hibernating wildlife such as grass snakes and...

Prune deciduous shrubs.sow sweet peas.Compost leftover cardboard.Remove algae from paths with a stiff broom.Resist the desire to tidy up every part of your garden.Fallen leaves and stems of herbaceous perennials provide homes for ladybirds and other beneficial...

Add rainwater storage. Install water butts to collect water from roofs, garages and sheds. Rainwater is better for all plants, particularly acid-loving plants and in hard water areas.Keep ice off ponds. Float a ball or half filled milk bottle to ensure that the...

Consider winter protection as the weather gets colder and frosts become likely. Prune roses to prevent wind-rock.Plant tulips for next spring.Plant bare root roses.Remove black spot on roses. Collect and dispose of fallen leaves infected with black spot, then mulch...

Move evergreen shrubs. Take a rootball as large as possible. Replant in a new position and water in thoroughly.Make use of fallen leaves, either by leaving them in flower beds where they will provide a habitat for for wildlife, or collect them up and make into leaf...

Stake late bloomers such as Asters, Dahlias and Sunflowers.Keep on wateringRepair lawns, once the soil is moist sow new lawns or repair damaged patches.Give evergreen hedges a trim.Keep sowing winter veg.Cut your grass but aim to do it on a fine day.Protect your...

Tie in long shoots of rambling roses and then cut back a third of the oldest stems to the base. Shorten off side shoots by two thirds.Keep picking peas and beans as the more you pick the more pods will form.Order spring bulbs to make sure you get your pick of the...

Prune deciduous Magnolias. If this is done at other times of the year it can cause plant bleeding.Use grey water from baths sinks and showers within 24 hours for flowering plants, not edibles.Prune early summer flowering shrubs.Sw cabbages.Keep on top of weeds by...

Shade out your greenhouse. Open up doors and windows and on very hot days hose down the floor Plant young sweetcorn plants in blocks rather than rows as it is pollinated by wind Harvest early potatoes when flowers open or buds drop. Tubers are ready to harvest when...

Continue harvesting asparagus, cut spears 2.5cm below the soil when they are no more than 18cm high. Well established beds can be harvested for 8 weeks.Prune early spring shrubs such as Forsythia and Ribes after flowering. Remove one in three stems at the base and cut...

Plant snowdrops, pick out your favourite cultivar and plant them in the green, when they are in full leaf. These will establish much better than dry bulbs planted in the autumn. Prune roses, you can prune most shrub roses now. Remove one or two stems from the base and...

Ventilate your greenhouse by opening the vents on sunny daysKeep birds safe by positioning the feeding station near shrubs for shelter, so small birds can dive for coverDeadhead winter bedding and add more plants where there are gapsProtect peaches by covering with...

Gardening jobs for December Propagate fruit bushes - Take hardwood cuttings of currants, gooseberries, figs and mulberries.Put them somewhere they can stay for a year undisturbed. Make use of leaves - Allow leaves to stay on borders to act as a mulch to protect the...

Help bees, prune vines and sow winter crops Remove any pot saucers for outside containers and replace with feet or bricks to elevate them off the ground and to stop the pots becoming waterlogged.Climate change means that some bee species are increasing active during...

- Take root cuttings- Cut back perennials- Prune late summer clematis- Clean your tools_ Prune autumn raspberries- Sow peppers and chillies- Mulch perennial veg- Prune deciduous hedges- Tidy citrus plants- Trim winter heathers

- Plant bare root trees, shrubs and fruit if you can still get them, but do not plant when the ground is waterlogged or frozen.- Herbaceous perennials need a mulch of at least 15cm to protect them against frost, top it up if any has been washed away.- Prune apple and...

Choose the right spot for your festive house plants Indoor azaleas, cyclamen and forced bulbs last longer in a cool spot, while poinsettias like warm draught free rooms. Water evergreens in containers Winter winds can draw a lot of moisture out of plants so make sure...

Protect tree trunks with rabbit guard or chicken wire to stop rabbits nibbling the bark.Lay new turf as long as the ground is not waterlogged or frozenClean pots and trays with warm soapy water to stop infection carrying over.Net brassicas such as kale and brussel...