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birds eating the berries is to wrap them in fine netting. I've been out covertly covering berry-laden holly branches in my local area, so if you've seen a well-wrapped figure in Hampshire, with hat pulled down low, wrapping the odd holly branch

, they stay so healthy looking because they're given an annual wrap-up to get them through the winter. In a place otherwise devoid of trees it was great to see this pair of rowans, and the effort to wrap them up every year seemed well worthwhile. My family

't miss a bargainFinish clearing fallen leavesTurn off the mains water supply to outside taps and wrap with insulation to prevent freezingWater pots of spring bulbsFloat waterproof pond heaters in fish ponds to prevent ice covering the surfaceGive pots

Continue picking sweetcorn, beans and marrows Prune out fruited blackberry stems and tie in new onesSave seeds from favourite bean varieties to plant next springHarvest and store apples, wrapping them in newspaper for storageLift and store onions

Treat field horsetail with a systemic herbicide such as glyphosateInstall water butts to collect rainwater over winterScarify, aerate and feed your lawnGather up hoses, sprinklers and watering equipment to store away for winterWrap insulation

Wrap grease bands around fruit trees to catch female winter moths climbing up from the soilPlant out garlic or start growing cloves in pots to plant out laterClear away old crops and dig over the groundSow hardy peas under fleece for an early crop

of rubbish before starting bonfires to ensure a hedgehog hasn't set up residenceMow lawns on dry days with the blades on a high settingWrap outside taps with insulation material to prevent them freezing Spread compost from old growing bags on to outdoor beds

in the shed over winterBuild log piles to provide winter hibernation sites for insects and small animalsCheck tree ties and loosen any that are too tightWrap insulation around outdoor taps and water pipesOrder bare-rooted hedging for winter planting

Clean and sharpen pruning toolsRepair and treat fencing and timber structures while climbing plants are dormantBring all watering equipment indoors, including hoses and sprinklersWrap insulation around outside taps and cut off the water supply

to keep birds awayPrune overgrown laurel, yew and camellias back hard to rejuvenate themWrap straw or bracken around the base of tender shrubs and climbers to protect them the from coldCheck stakes and ties are secure on trees and climbers