Flowers

• Plant tulip bulbs in pots and borders, covering them with at least twice their depth of soil or compost
• Lift dahlia tubers after the first frost, clean them off and store in dry compost in a cool, frost-proof place
• Send off for seed catalogues and start planning what to grow next year
• Plant bare-root hedging, roses, trees and shrubs, before the weather turns really cold.
• Clear faded sweet peas, morning glory, thunbergia and other annual climbers from their supports
• Cut down faded perennials that are looking tatty, then mulch the surrounding soil with garden compost
• Plant a Japanese maple in a pot and place in a sheltered spot in semi-shade
• Gather up and bin the fallen leaves of roses affected by black spot, so they don't carry the disease over to next year
• Move containers of alpine plants under cover to shelter them from winter rain
• Replenish gravel mulch around alpines to keep the foliage clear of damp soil, which can cause rotting
• Protect plants that are borderline hardy, such as agapanthus, with a thick mulch of straw or garden compost
• Put stem protection guards around young trees and shrubs, if rabbits are a problem
• Sow seeds from berry-laden trees and shrubs

Protect agapanthus from frost

Fruit and veg

• Take hardwood cuttings from healthy fruit bushes, including currants, blueberries and gooseberries
• Use cloches to protect winter peas, beans and salads, but leave the ends open as good ventilation is vital
• Prune autumn-fruiting raspberries to the ground after harvesting
• Plant garlic, shallots and onions in free-draining soil or raised beds, then cover with fleece
• Prune fruit bushes once dormant, including blackcurrants, redcurrants, whitecurrants and gooseberries
• Support top-heavy Brussels sprouts with sturdy canes, and pile earth up around the stems for extra stability
• Cut down Jerusalem artichokes, then dig up and store the tubers in a bucket of dry compost
• Put netting over cabbages, kale and other hardy brassicas to protect them from pigeons
• Plant bare-root fruit trees, bushes and canes, as long as the ground isn't too wet
• Check stored crops for signs of rot or deterioration
• Lift and pot up chicory roots to force in the dark
• Tidy up strawberry beds, cutting back old foliage and congested runners and removing any weeds

More winter veg growing advice.

Protect onions, garlic and shallots with fleece

Greenhouse

• Insulate the greenhouse walls and roof with bubble polythene
• Make sure all tender plants are safely under cover and kept frost free
• Propagate perennials, including phlox, oriental poppies and verbascums, by taking root cuttings
• Sow leafy crops such as rocket into small seed trays on a warm sunny windowsill, for winter pickings
• Check greenhouse plants regularly for overwintering pests
• Scrub down greenhouse staging, glazing and the framework with disinfectant
• Water indoor pots of spring bulbs frequently so they never dry out
• Wash out all empty pots and trays and store neatly under greenhouse staging, ready for use in spring
• Bring potted herbs, such as parsley and chives, indoors to continue cropping into winter
• Monitor greenhouse temperatures with a max-min thermometer and turn on heating if needed
• Avoid splashing foliage when watering, as it will dry slowly in cool weather and fungal diseases may set in
• Clear out faded tomato and cucumber plants from the greenhouse and add to the compost heap

Bubble wrap makes excellent insulation for greehouses

House plants

• Give houseplants extra humidity to combat the drying effects of central heating
• Feed house plants once a week with liquid fertiliser, continuing throughout autumn
• Repot moth orchids after flowering if they look like they're about to burst out of their pot
• Water house plants less frequently and move them off particularly cold windowsills at night. Find out how to water your house plants
• Plant hippeastrum (amaryllis) bulbs in pots for spectacular flowers over the festive season
• Bring any house plants that you moved outside over summer back indoors, before temperatures start to drop
• Repot any house plants that have become top heavy or pot bound into larger containers
• Maximise the amount of light your house plants receive by moving to brighter spots, or choose indoor plants for low light
• Some house plants, like snake plants, are particularly prone to collecting dust on their leaves. So be sure to give these a wipe regularly
• Take leaf cuttings from house plants, including African violets and begonias
• Take leaf cuttings from succulents, such as echeverias, crassula and sedums
• Check your house plants for pests like aphids, scale insects, thrips and mealybugs
• Take large-leaved house plants into the garden and hose them down to clean off accumulated dust
• For more house plant advice and inspiration visit our Growing and caring for house plants page.

Give bird feeders a good clean