Continue jobs from October tips, as the weather is still very mild and the wet soil is still good for planting in.

It’s still not too late to plant bulbs tulips actually benefit from being planted later when it gets colder – so the end of November into December is a perfect time to plant them.

A lot of annual & ‘ephemeral’ weeds continue to grow due to the mild wet weather so continue to weed – especially where weeds are competing with growing plants.

Continue to add mulches – garden compost, spent pot compost and manure to bare soil patches.

Resist cutting back vegetation until February/early March as wildlife will benefit from dying seed heads and dead flower stalks etc.

Make sure bird feeders are kept topped up and provide water for birds and other wildlife to drink. We are told to clean bird feeders when refilling them to prevent birds from being infected with disease from dirty bird feeders.

December is the month when I go out and collect greenery from the garden to bring in for Christmas decorations.

Ask for plants for Christmas – bare root shrubs, roses, fruit trees can be planted bare root between November and February (providing the ground is not frozen).

June

Sow seeds of biennials such as foxgloves, wallflowers and Sweet Williams in a seed bed or in containers.

Sow brassicas for Autumn/Winter harvest.

Stake flowers that are likely to flop such as delphiniums and sunflowers.

Chop perennials such as Oriental poppies and lupins back to the base for potentially a second flush of flowers.

Take softwood cuttings from shrubs such as mock orange & hydrangeas using non-flowering shoots up to 10cm long.

Feed tomatoes when the fruit starts to set.

Pick off plums so that fruit are 4 inches apart to avoid too many fruits which will rot.

Water in dry weather and feed flowers and fruits weekly with tomato feed or liquid seaweed solution.

May

Still just enough time to plant late potatoes.

Prune early Spring shrubs such as Forsythia, Ribes and Kerria after flowering to give them maximum time to regrow and flower next year.

Don’t mow your lawn in May – ‘No Mow May’ – allow grass to grow long to provide habitats for bees, butterflies and other wildlife.

Sow winter veg such as cauliflower and purple sprouting broccoli.

Sow French and runner beans under cover.

Prune wall trained Pyracanthas.

Water newly planted trees and shrubs.

Cut out frost damage to evergreen shrubs.

Weed paths and patios.

April.

Deadhead Spring bedding – remove faded blooms from primroses, pansies and other bedding.

Sow hardy annual seeds outside.

Prune penstemons, cut just above fresh new shoots

Deadhead faded daffodil and tulip flowers but only take off the flowers – don’t cut back the stems.

If frost is forecast protect fruit blossom on trees such as plums, apricots, peaches and pears.

Sow seeds of marrow, courgette, pumpkins and squash under cover.

Sow root crops such as beetroot & carrot outside when the soil has warmed –

February & March.

These are the months when we can get back into our gardens – with more daylight hours and some days of sunny Spring weather.

Pruning

Prune shrub roses & climbing roses – rambler roses should be pruned after flowering.

Prune soft fruit bushes – Autumn fruiting Raspberries (Summer fruiting Raspberries should be pruned in September): Currants, Gooseberries & Blueberries.

Clear garden borders of dead growth which you have kept during the winter months to provide shelter to insects.

Weed borders – clear perennial weeds and annual weeds but don’t hoe emerging bulbs or perennials.

Mulch borders with garden compost or well-rotted manure.

Start seed sowing under cover indoors on windowsills or in a greenhouse/conservatory/porch – Aubergine, Chillis, Peppers & Tomatoes need a long growing period.

Chit seed potatoes before planting them out at the end of March/beginning of April.

Some vegetable seeds can be sown outdoors towards the end of March – carrots, broad beans and parsnips.

Repair bare patches in lawns – seed over bare patches.

Beware though- Weather Forecasters are predicting another ‘Beast from the East’ at the beginning of March – so don’t sow seeds outside until after that!!

October is a good time to move shrubs as the soil is still warm and hopefully damp,  ensure a generous watering at the time of planting and at weekly intervals afterwards if the weather is dry.  It is better to water with a good bucket or watering can full – watering  using a small quantity of water too often will not encourage the roots to grow deeper looking for moisture.

Continue to plant perennials and bare root shrubs while the soil is warm

Plant wallflowers and sweet wiliams for Spring colour.

Plant bulbs – daffodils, alliums, crocus and iris should be planted now.  Leave tulips until the weather is cooler – at the end of November.  Squirrels love crocus and tulip bulbs so cover the bulbs with chicken wire and remove as soon as you see growing tips showing through in the Spring.

Seeds of annual hardy plants can be directly sown now – poppies, nigella, cornflowers and marigold.

On the vegetable plot broad beans and onion sets can be planted now – ensure the onion sets are planted deep enough to prevents birds picking the tips out of the soil.  The best broad been for winter planting is Aquadulce – cover with fleece to protect from birds.

To ensure that wildlife continues to appreciate your garden only cut back vegetation which is damp and rotting – try and keep most things in the garden and cut back from February.

Plants with tubers such as dahlias, cannas and gladioli should be taken up when the frost comes and kills the upper growth.  If you don’t have anywhere to store the tubers they can be kept in the soil as long as the top of the plant is protected by a thick mulch.