Winter is upon us now, with the leaves starting to fall with intent. The garden is slowing down but there are still jobs to be done.
Once your greenhouse has been cleared of annual vegetables, give it a good clean and disinfect it. This will help allow more light in and prevent the build up of disease and pests.
If you have bird boxes up, take them down and clean them out before next year’s nesting season.
Take your tender plants inside (if they are in pots) or provide a warm layer of mulch, straw or sheep’s wool on top of and around them.
As the leaves fall, you can leave them in place or rake them onto your flower beds or under trees. Not only do they provide a great habitat for insects but they also help to improve your soil.
Now is the time to prune fruit trees, such as apples and pears, grapevines and berry bushes. If you are unsure how to do this, cut off any dead, damaged or crossing branches and aim to shape it into an open, vase like shape.
Bare root trees can be planted in November, provided the ground is not frozen. Choose native or fruit bearing species to maximise their benefit for biodiversity.
This is also a good time to plant rhubarb.
It is time to finish planting spring flowering bulbs for next year. Pollinator friendly bulbs are best to provide nectar to insects.
