Fruit and veg

• Take hardwood cuttings from healthy fruit bushes, including currants, blueberries and gooseberries
• Use cloches to protect winter peas, beans and salads, but leave the ends open as good ventilation is vital
• Prune autumn-fruiting raspberries to the ground after harvesting
• Plant garlic, shallots and onions in free-draining soil or raised beds, then cover with fleece
• Prune fruit bushes once dormant, including blackcurrants, redcurrants, whitecurrants and gooseberries
• Support top-heavy Brussels sprouts with sturdy canes, and pile earth up around the stems for extra stability
• Cut down Jerusalem artichokes, then dig up and store the tubers in a bucket of dry compost
• Put netting over cabbages, kale and other hardy brassicas to protect them from pigeons
• Plant bare-root fruit trees, bushes and canes, as long as the ground isn’t too wet
• Check stored crops for signs of rot or deterioration
• Lift and pot up chicory roots to force in the dark
• Tidy up strawberry beds, cutting back old foliage and congested runners and removing any weeds

Greenhouse

• Insulate the greenhouse walls and roof with bubble polythene
• Make sure all tender plants are safely under cover and kept frost free
• Sow leafy crops such as rocket into small seed trays on a warm sunny windowsill, for winter pickings
• Check greenhouse plants regularly for overwintering pests
• Scrub down greenhouse staging, glazing and the framework with disinfectant
• Wash out all empty pots and trays and store neatly under greenhouse staging, ready for use in spring
• Bring potted herbs, such as parley and chives, indoors to continue cropping into winter
• Monitor greenhouse temperatures with a max-min thermometer and turn on heating if needed
• Avoid splashing foliage when watering, as it will dry slowly in cool weather and fungal diseases may set in
• Clear out faded tomato and cucumber plants from the greenhouse and add to the compost heap
• Give houseplants extra humidity to combat the drying effects of central heating

Bubble wrap makes excellent insulation for greehouses

Garden maintenance

• Check bonfires carefully before lighting to make sure no hedgehogs or other wildlife are sheltering inside
• Continue to mow the lawn in mild spells if the grass is still growing, but raise the height of the blades
• Collect fallen leaves and place in bin bags, then leave to decompose into leaf mould
• Look after garden wildlife as winter approaches, by providing additional food and shelter
• Move worm compost bins under cover for the winter
• Chop up any faded bedding plants, annuals and old crops, and add to the compost bin
• Start pruning free-standing apple and pear trees once dormant, to control their size and encourage fruiting
• Wrap bubble polythene or hessian around pots to protect from frost damage and to insulate vulnerable plant roots
• Wrap insulating foam around outdoor taps and pipes
• Clean out and scrub bird feeders regularly to maintain hygiene