The onset of the winter means fewer jobs to do in the garden although tidying up never really stops.  It is especially a good time to see how soil can be improved in time for the next growing season.  There will still be some very favourable days which will allow outdoor work and the opportunity should not be lost.

*Propagation Indoors

Continue to feed  pot plants regularly

Sow Pelargonium seeds

Continue taking hardwood cuttings of deciduous  climbers

Root cuttings of perennials can be taken throughout the winter

Continue to pot up lilies

Bring bulbs being forced for Christmas into light and warmth

Continue to remove faded leaves and flowers from all plants

Pot up rooted cuttings

Pot up hardy annuals sown in late summer which are being grown for early colour inside (if not already done last month)

Plant hyacinths for early flowering (if not done last month)

Continue to check stored bulbs, corms and tubers and any showing signs of rot should be thrown away.  If only a small area is infected you may be able to cut it away and dust the cut with flowers of sulphate.  The “doctored” ones should be kept separate from the others to prevent spread of infection.

Amaryllis (Hippeastrums) should be planted at the beginning of the month to flower at Christmas

Finish planting container grown trees and shrubs

Continue taking cuttings of herbs such as lemon verbena, sage and thyme

Continue sowing mustard and cress for winter salads

Sow a few trays of lettuce, summer cabbage and cauliflower

Sow radishes, spinach, salad onions and turnips

Continue to maintain indoor vegetables especially tomatoes.

Pot up mint, parsley and marjoram for a fresh supply all winter (if not done last month)

Take hardwood cuttings of redcurrants, whitecurrants, blackcurrants and gooseberries (if not done last month)

TIP: Seeds  sown  inmodular tray systems make spacing easier, save time in pricking out and produce strong sturdy plants with little or no disturbance when transplanting .  Cuttings can also be overwintered in the modular trays so saving time and space and limiting disturbance to root systems.
 

*Planting  Outdoors

There are still a lot of tidying up jobs needing to be done as well as pruning that needs to be finished off.  Remember that all tender plants need to be protected from the frost and sharp drops in temperature.

Continue to sweep up and stack fallen leaves to rot and provide leaf mould

Sow Alpine seeds and stand the tray outside to let the seeds freeze from time to time

Plant winter and spring flowering bulbs (if not already done last month)

Continue to sow biennial seeds

Take root cuttings of perennials from now till late winter

Protect slightly tender bulbs such as nerines and agapanthus (if not already done)

Check bare root roses planted last month for wind damage around the base

Put a windbreak around newly planted evergreens

Earth up spring cabbage and other winter brassicas

Use cloches to protect any newly sown vulnerable vegetables eg broad beans and peas

Force Chicory and Seakale

Net all brassicas to protect from pigeons etc

Plant bare-root fruit bushes and trees

Finish pruning apple and pear trees

TIP: Cloches,tunnels and fleece will protect tender plants from the sudden change in temperature.  Net tunnels will protect brassicas from birds

*In the Greenhouse

Heat will now be needed to protect tender plants so check that the heaters are working correctly

Minimum temperatures being achieved should be checked.

Ventilate whenever the weather is mild enough

Watering should be done in the morning so that the foliage is not wet at night, but watering should be decreased except for winter flowering plants that are still in strong active growth.

Bring in tender plants to overwinter

Clean pots and trays and store for use in spring

The indications given above assume you will be using Rootrainers seed trays and or/plug plants produced in Rootrainers.  If you are using conventional seed trays, then the growth cycle is likely to be longer.  Also remember if you are using Rootrainers seed trays you will not have to do any potting up of your cuttings and you will save on compost.