Containers need to be prepared for cold weather by wrapping any non-frost-resistant pots, or those containing vulnerable plants. Depending on your budget and how 'pretty' you want them to look you can cover them in bubble plastic, or more attractively, hessian stuffed with straw. If you group your containers together (preferably in a sheltered spot) that should give them that extra protection needed - and don't forget it also makes it easier to cover them with another layer if good old Blighty gets struck with some severe weather.

Use garden compost or well-rotted manure as a top dressing for borders or for digging in, if you didn't get round to it last month. You can leave general application of fertilisers until early spring. Dig out perennial and evergreen weeds such as brambles and creeping buttercup. Keep beds clear of debris and fallen leaves. If you try and leave it as clear as possible the sharp frosts should hopefully kill off any pests lurking around the surface.

Most hardy plants can still be moved this late in the season, but leave anything potentially vulnerable until the spring. Do not move plants if the weather is inclement, or the ground is frozen hard, waterlogged or compacted. Think about next year and try to clear ground ready for new beds/planting - dig and leave the soil rough for the frost to break it down. If you can, try to add some garden compost or well-rotted manure at the same time. If your garden is on heavy clay soil, now is the time to start digging.

If you have been a bit slow off the mark make sure you finish off any autumn planting - that is if the ground is not too wet or frozen - any plants, except tender ones, raised in the garden from hardwood and semi-ripe cuttings or layering should also be planted out now in their final growing positions. Leave tender plants in pots under cover until the spring. Hardy climbers, such as jasmine and honeysuckle are very easy to propagate from hardwood cuttings. These can be taken from now until early spring.

For some immediate colour in your garden, the F1 hybrid pansies are still excellent value for money. If they are planted now in colour, they will go though to next year. They tend to be available through most of the winter months but if they start to look a bit tired in a couple of months time, whip them out and replace them with fresh stock. The key to keeping them flowering for longer is to deadhead as often as possible to prevent them from making seed.

Start planting bare-root trees and fruit bushes once they are available. This is a good time because the soil is still warm and, usually, not too wet. These conditions encourage quick rooting and help the plants to get established. A common mistake made by many gardeners when planting new stock is to attach a 'matchstick' as a stake to a newly planted tree. At this time of year it is important to support the tree with a good solid stake and tie. As a guide the average tree at the garden centre will be have a stem size 8-10 cm in girth. As a minimum this should have a round stake which itself will be 50-75cm diameter and have at least one tree tie attached just under the first break of branches.

Be careful that your lawn doesn't suffer too much from blowing leaves - strong winds at this time of year mean that one day your lawn is clear and the next day all of the leaves have come down in one foul swoop. If you haven't cleared these fallen leaves then make sure you get out there and sweep them off the lawn as soon as possible. If left they will block the light, this will weaken the grass and encourage the development of diseases. Don't forget that the leaves will also need to be removed from small container plants and from the rock garden too - they can smother low-growing plants, and provide a haven for slugs and snails. Leaves can be recycled into leaf mould, which is good for the garden - they may take up to two years to rot down completely, but the wait is worth it.

While plants are dormant over the winter carry out repairs to trellis, pergolas and any other structures which support plants, but do not apply paints or stains when the weather is wet or frosty. Repairs to outbuildings, such as sheds, can be done any time of the year, but it is worth checking if anything needs to be done before winter cold, rain and wind (or unexpected gales!) causes additional damage. Greenhouse repairs should be done while the weather is still warm and plants can safely be moved outside for a few days.

For those with ponds, make sure you have the whole of the surface of the pond netted over and secure to avoid it filling up with leaves and becoming a real headache in the spring this is especially important if there are fish in it! More debris in the pond means less oxygen for the fish. Try and pull the netting as tight as possible to ensure falling leaves rest on top and will, at some stage be blown away, rather than sitting on the netting, and eventually causing it to rest on the water. There is no reason why pumps cannot continue to be left on. Clean out the filters before the netting goes over and if the pond is prone to icing over make sure there is a floating pond heater connected ready to be switched on when needed. For general care of your fish, you should begin to reduce their feeding - as the water temperature reduces, so will the fish activity.

Happy Gardening,