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of fleece handy to protect plants if frost is forecastBuild log piles at the back of borders for wildlife to shelter inRake out dead grass from lawns

, and water clumps with a generous helping of liquid feedPrepare to cover fruit tree blossom with horticultural fleece to protect flowers if frost is forecast Sow seeds of the following crops outside this week: beetroot, lettuce, salad leaves, watercress

Collect fruits and berries from cotoneaster and pyracantha, and sow their seedsCheck stored bulbs and tubers for signs of rot Bring potted strawberries into the greenhouse or put in a cold frame to protect from coldWash glazing inside and out to let

Plant shallots outside into well-prepared soilSow mustard and cress in a pot on the kitchen windowsill for a quick cropUse netting and bird scarers to protect fruit bushes from hungry birds, which can strip off swelling budsPrune side shoots

.Serious potting has started on the farm. This is two weeks earlier than last year as the light has been so good that our wintered cuttings are already putting on new growth.Once the plants are potted they are then covered with horticultural fleece. This protects

Plenty of salad crops can grow outside in winter, if given a little protection. In early autumn, the soil is still warm enough to sow seeds direct, while plug plants or seedlings planted out will establish quickly.Choose hardy varieties of your

plummets at about 6pm. So yes, the fleece is draped all over the place in the veg plots. A bit of snugly-protection for my sweet potatoes (I'm growing Bearegard and Jetfire this year, it'll be interesting to see how they fare!) and some vital, please

but they're also rather gorgeous to look at. Their rich colour lifts your spirits on a chilly winter day when everything else is looking drab and dull. As with all brassicas, red cabbages need protection from pests, but as I grew mine over winter I didn

handy during May just in case of frost. A covering will keep off a light frost, protecting blossom and buds from damage. So while it might not be possible to protect a wisteria trained to an arch or pergola, my modestly sized standard wisteria in a pot

Follow Rachel de Thame's video advice on planting up a container of summer-flowering bulbs, with advice on choosing healthy bulbs, planting depths and protection from frost.springMore advice on planting bulbsLayering bulbs in a potPlanting lily