JOBS AHEAD
Move patio pots against the house, garage or shed wall to offer them protection from strong winter winds. At the same time, raise pots up on pot feet or bricks to aid drainage and prevent water logging.
Check stakes and ties on trees and shrubs to make sure they are firmly in the ground and fastened, but leave them room to move, as pushing against the wind helps strengthen roots.
Deciduous trees are most easily pruned when they are without foliage, when you can easily spot any damage or disease. Re-shape trees and remove crossing branches to maximise healthy growth for next year.
Hellebore foliage can be cut back to allow the blooms to be seen.
Bare-roots roses can be planted out now whilst established bush roses can be pruned by about half their height to prevent wind rock damage.
Deadhead winter pansies and violas to keep them tidy and stop them setting seed.
Comb your hand through soft-leaved ornamental grasses to remove dead foliage.
In winter, the soil around the base of your crops may freeze, which makes for a difficult time when trying to harvest. Place some straw around your parsnip crop to ensure you have a healthy supply for Christmas dinner.
Protect your crops from hungry pigeons by covering cabbage and kale plants with a layer of netting.
Now is a good time to start planning your vegetable garden for the year ahead. Think about what crops you would like to start growing, bearing in mind good crop rotation, and order your seeds now.
Bare-root fruit trees and bushes can be planted at this time of year into high-quality soil, providing the ground underneath is not frozen.
Apple and pear trees are dormant over winter and so now is a great time to prune them ahead of the coming growth season. Other fruit trees, such as plum and cherry trees, can be left unpruned until summer, as they can be prone to silver leaf infection over winter.
If you have not already done so, prune your blackcurrant bushes and make sure to get rid of at least a quarter of the old stems for fresh growth.
This is a good time to clean the greenhouse when it is being used less, so you can really move things around to get into all the corners. Discard any broken or unused plant pots and containers to free up more space.
Pots and seed trays should be washed thoroughly before being stored to make sure they do not harbour any pests or disease.
Pinch out the tips of autumn-sown sweet pea seedlings early in the new year to encourage strong side shoots.
Rewrite fading plant labels in the herb garden before names disappear due to winter rain and snow.