• Collect fallen leaves for composting - but always wear gloves.

  • Harvest parsnips and leeks. 

  • Keep on top of weeds.

  • After harvesting, any bare earth should be covered with either cardboard, manure, compost or quick growing green manure (mustard seed) to prevent new weed growth and conserve nutrients.

  • Old tomato stems and fruit can be added to the compost heap, even if they have been hit by blight as the blight pathogen can only exist on growing material and the pathogen will not carry over to the next year.

  • Prune fruit trees and bushes. 

  • Prune autumn fruiting raspberries to ground level.

  • Plant out new raspberry and strawberry plants provided the ground is not waterlogged or frozen.

  • Rhubarb, garlic, onions, broad beans, bulbs, kale, lettuce, carrots, and cabbage can be planted for spring harvest. Sweet peas can be started (indoors).

  • Net brassicas with fine netting to deter pigeons, white butterflies and avoid if possible an infestation of whitefly, which can ruin a crop.

  • Depending on the severity of the winter dahlias and gladiolus can be left in the ground over winter if given a thick covering of compost etc. Otherwise take them up and store in a frost free place.

  • Clean and oil tools.