Life

Things to do this week

1 Check bulbs, corms and tubers in store. Any that are becoming soft or showing signs of disease should be removed and destroyed

2 Prepare for winter gales by removing dead or decaying branches on established trees and checking that recently planted trees are well staked and that ties are secure

3 Continue to harvest vegetables including kale, cabbages, spinach, Jerusalem artichokes and Brussels sprouts

4 Plant any remaining tulip and hyacinth bulbs

5 Continue to tidy borders, cutting back dead foliage and stems unless required for wind shelter and remove stakes

6 Continue to winter-dig if the ground is not too hard, leaving soil rough for the frost to break it down and add well-rotted manure or compost at the same time

7 Prune wisteria, tying in new extension shoots and then pruning back the new shoots

8 Finish planting winter containers to give the plants a chance to become established

9 Dig up ground layers of rhododendron and azaleas started off about 15 months ago that have now rooted and plant them out in their final growing position