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, or even into the border.Treat timber fences, trellis and posts with preservativeInstall water butts to all downpipes on your houseApply moss killer to lawnsAround the gardenSow sunflowers outsideTrim winter-flowering heathersPick off faded flower heads

of hardy annual flowers Lightly clip box edging and topiary to neaten them upFlowersPush twigs into the ground to support tall-growing peasFeed strawberries with a high potash feedSow flowering companions in your veg plotFruit & vegPlant tomatoes in large

constructed, the box should last for years and provide a cosy home for generations of birds.Add old crops and bedding to the compost heapSpike lawns then brush grit into the holesCollect seeds from beans and sweet peas to sow next yearAround the gardenCut late-summer-flowering

throughout the festive season.Work off Christmas excesses by digging over bare areasPlace cloches over tender plantsSharpen blades on garden toolsAround the gardenMake last-minute pickings of fresh flowers for the houseSpread compost on to flower beds

from barrenwort (Epimedium)Plant lilies in potsFlowersPlant shallots outside into well-prepared soilSow mustard and cress in a pot on the kitchen windowsill Use netting and bird scarers to protect fruit bushesFruit & vegHand pollinate the flowers

Start to spray roses that are vulnerable to disease FlowersPlant herbs in decorative potsPull up soil around the developing shoots of early potatoesStart sowing salad crops at regular 3-4 week intervalsFruit & vegPlant up containers with summer beddingSow French

container-grown roses and shrubsPrepare soil in flower beds for summer beddingTie in new growth on climbing plantsFlowersSow bean, marrow, courgette and squash seedsSpray peaches and nectarines with fungicide Pick rhubarb stems as they developFruit & veg

to supportsClip box hedging and topiary to keep it neatFlowersSow a few seeds of salad leaves every 2-3 weeksPlant out crops being raised in pots under glassCover soft fruits with netting to prevent birds eating themFruit & vegTake cuttings from pelargoniums

Sow quick salads in guttering Keep a regular supply of salad leaves by sowing seeds in lengths of plastic guttering, cut to the length of your veg beds, and filled with good compost. When the seeds germinate, you can grow them on for 2-4 weeks

by blackspot or rustSet up automatic watering systems for potted plants when going on holidayTop up water levels in ponds and aquatic featuresAround the gardenDeadhead flowers of lady's mantleWater camelliasBuy bulbs for autumn plantingFlowersPick plums