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Add old crops and bedding to the compost heapSpike lawns then brush grit into the holes to improve surface drainageCollect seeds from beans and sweet peas to sow next yearFirm soil around newly planted trees and shrubs if they've been loosened

the garden. It's a bit 'pot luck', but then that's the fun of gardening. If I really wanted to maximise my returns I could collect seed by hand, picking off the pods at the moment they split, but before they've dropped their cargo. Kept on a sheet

of seeds onto the surrounding soil.Of course I could collect the seeds, and sow them in pots to raise young plants, but self-seeding cuts out the legwork. I just let them 'do their thing'. Plants have a marvellous ability to flourish without us, much

final collection of any autumn leaves still lying aroundSearch through seed and bulb catalogues for new things to grow this coming seasonRepair wobbly or damaged fences and treat wooden structures with preservativePut out fresh water for birds every day

sowing.There are seed trays already stacking up in the greenhouse, and the propagator is working overtime. Luckily, there are lots of seeds that positively relish an early start. Perennials, for one: I sowed the Seed Club High-Value Perennials collection

The woods around us consist mostly of ash trees (Fraxinus excelsior), and every autumn we have a few weekends of frantic leaf collecting (particularly frantic around the chicken run). The trees seem to shed leaves at random – one tree

and the outer brown layers will fall away, revealing silver discs, and allowing you to collect seed. Stems can be cut and brought indoors for decoration, or just pushed into borders, to add interest and plug gaps. Even on dull December days the seed

stems, Verbena bonariensis can be planted alongside a variety of different bananas, ginger lilies and bamboos.Design ideasSeeds can be sown directly in the ground in spring, or you can start them off under glass in late-winter, then pot them on to plant

Watch Sarah Raven's video demonstration of how to plant allium bulbs in the dry garden at Berryfields, with advice on the ideal location, soil condition, and planting depth.autumnMore advice on growing alliumsHow to collect allium seeds

privetKeep mowing the lawn regularlyDeadhead border plants, unless you want to collect seedsPick everlasting flowers or herbs for dryingOrder flower bulbs for autumn planting including colchicum, daffodils and other spring bulbsLook out for developing