• By the middle of November, plant ‘Paperwhite’ narcissi, which will be ready to flower in time for Christmas. Forced bulbs should be brought to a cool windowsill when they have approximately 3cm growth.

• Make sure you also check stored summer bulbs for any signs of rot or mould. Remove any affected bulbs or separate to prevent spreading.

Fruit and vegetables

• Plant out winter onion sets and garlic cloves and plant soft fruits such as raspberries and blackberries. If you have cloches, you can sow broad beans and peas.

• Keep an eye on Brussels sprouts and cabbages, and if birds find them delicious, cover them with netting.

• Also, organise your seeds. Sarah explains: ‘Sort out any leftover or half-empty seed packets and throw away any that are out of date or damaged. Clean, pack and label any saved seeds left to dry, and take the time to organise them into seed tins.’

• Another useful task is to start planning next year’s vegetables to allow for a good rotation of crops. ‘It’s important to not grow the same type of crops on the same ground each year, as this can cause a build-up of pests and diseases. Move them around each year so the same group isn’t in the same area for more than one season,’ Sarah adds.

• Roots, brassicas and legumes can be grouped together, and everything else, such as potatoes, onions and tomatoes, can be grown together too. Annual crops such as cucurbits (courgettes, pumpkins, squashes, marrows and cucumbers), French and runner beans, salads (endive, lettuce and chicory), and sweetcorn can be grown wherever you have space – just avoid growing them in the same place too frequently.

Hardwood cuttings

• Try taking hardwood cuttings of deciduous shrubs and fruit.

Lawn

Autumn is a crucial time for lawn care, and getting your lawn ready for winter now can save you time and effort when the gardening season returns next spring.

‘Once the temperature consistency drops below 10 degrees, grass growth will slow significantly. This is usually around late October to early November, depending on where you are in the UK. It’s important not to mow too late into the season, as cutting the grass when it’s too cold or frosty can cause damage to both your lawn and your mower,’ says Ryan Patterson, residential segment manager at Husqvarna UK.

Leaf mould

• A very easy way to make leaf mould is to rake up damp leaves, put them in a bin bag with a few air holes, and tie the top. By next autumn, you should have magically produced crumbly leaf mould that can be used as mulch.

Bedding

Plant out winter bedding. Pansies and violas look delicate but polyanthus and primroses have the edge for presence. Another plant is the double primrose; it’s available in many colours and is so beautiful it looks like winter roses.

Indoor plants

If you haven’t already, bring your plants indoors. Some plants just don’t cope very well in low temperatures, so harsh winters can cause damage. Tropical plants and citrus trees, which often fall into this category, can be moved inside during autumn.

If you only do one thing…

Put prepared ‘Paperwhite’ daffodils – which means they’ve been specially treated to flower quickly – in a pot. Keep indoors and they should be flowering for Christmas.

Narcissus Paperwhite 12/14cm

• Plant of the month

If you see a small rounded tree with amazing autumn colour of purples, reds and orange, it’s probably a liquidambar, commonly called sweetgum. Slow-growing with shiny bright green maple-like leaves in spring, it will eventually reach 25 metres.

Liquidambar styraciflua Worplesdon

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