General Jobs
Remove the shading from greenhouses to let in as much light as possible on dull Winter days. Any summer containers that have finished can now be planted up with spring bulbs and winter bedding. Added colour and interest can be giving by adding half hardy cyclamen, heathers and trailing ivies. Dig up tired summer bedding from beds and borders ready to replant with spring bedding. Add fish, blood and bone or a general fertilizer to the border before replanting. Now is a good time to treat many perennial weeds with a Glycosphate based weed killer now that the weeds are naturally pulling back the energy into their roots.
Trees and Shrubs
A good time of the year to plant trees and shrubs while the soil is warm and the weather is more unsettled. As rose bushes finish flowering prune them back by half to prevent them being rocked by winter winds.
Bulbs and Perennials
Begin to plant bulbs for spring colour. Daffodils, hyacinths and crocus are best planted now but tulips are best bought now but planted in November. Raise patio containers onto feet or bricks to avoid them sitting in the winter wet. Plant treated hyacinths in bowls and keep them in a cool position for flowering over the Christmas period, a cool shed or garage would be ideal.
Vegetable Garden
Keep picking fruit and vegetables Any outdoor tomatoes that refuse to ripen by the end of the month should be picked and brought inside to ripen or made into chutney. Main crop potatoes can be lifted ready for storage later this month.
Lawns
Lawns need cutting less frequently and when the weather allows lawns should be cut with the blades set high. After the summer now is the time to give you lawn some attention and feed the lawn with an autumn lawn food to help build up roots for next summer.
