November in the garden

Plant bedding plants such as; wallflowers, viola, pansies and forget-me-nots for spring colour.

You can plant garlic cloves in a border, pot or window box.  Break off individual cloves from the bulb and push each one into the soil or compost, with the pointed end facing upwards. The tip should be just below the soil's surface.

Shallots can also be grown in the same way as garlic, as detailed above.

Sow broad beans and hardy varieties of peas such as “Meteor”

Pot up chives and mint roots to grow inside on say a sunny windowsill over the winter months. If you cut them little and often and keep them well watered they will provide fresh herbs all winter.

Collect leaves and store them for next year's compost. Make holes in a plastic bag, fill with leaves and add a little water if they are very dry. Store out of sight until next autumn when the leaf mould will have broken down.

Add a mulch to borders as this will help to protect less hardy plants.

Clean garden ponds -  remove dead plants and leaves.

Protect clay plants pots -  raise pots off the ground and insulate with bubble wrap or hessian sacking.

Put up new bird nest boxes.

Clean out old bird nest boxes. Take the box down, remove the lid and clean out any old nest material. Do not use chemicals. Instead use boiling water as this will remove any parasites left in the box. Return the box as soon as you have cleaned it as it may be used by birds over the winter as a roosting site.

And remember......................have fun