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Deciduous leaves are a wonderful resource from which to make leafmould and this is a great time of the year to start collecting them as they begin to fall from the trees. All leaves are suitable, although some will break down more quickly than others. If you don鈥檛 have a tree in your garden, why not approach a friend or neighbour, or even your local parks department? Most people will be only too glad to get rid of their fallen leaves!

Once you鈥檝e got your leaves, place them in a bin liner and give them a water before loosely tying up the top. Pierce the sides to allow in air and place somewhere shaded out of the way - it鈥檒l take a while for the leaves to rot down. Leafmould that is about a year old can be used as a soil improver or mulch for woodland plants, but if you wait another year, you could add it to an equal volume of compost to create your own planting mix for bulbs and young plants.

(www.rhs.org.uk)

Now is the time to sort through any seeds you鈥檝e saved over the summer. Check that they are still in good condition and then sieve to separate the seed from the chaff. The sieved seed can then be stored in paper bags or envelopes, or even in an airtight container. Label and place somewhere cool and dry until ready to sow.

(www.rhs.org.uk)

Some places in the UK have already experienced a frost and as there are likely to be many more, now is a good time to bring in tender bulbs like eucomis and evergreen agapanthus. Deciduous agapanthus can be kept outside as they are more hardy than their evergreen cousins, but in cold areas, it鈥檚 worth moving them to a sheltered spot and covering them with a layer of horticultural fleece.

(www.rhs.org.uk)

Ideally, we would all clean and oil our tools over the course of the year, but in reality we never get round to it! Over the winter, however, it鈥檚 worth giving them a bit of attention. Rub down your metal tools with some wire wool, particularly those used for cutting, oil and sharpen and put away ready for action.

(www.which.co.uk)