What to do this month

Tidy the garden, make a leafmould bin and collect attractive seedheads

Pick the leaves of herbs such as mint, lemon verbena, thyme and oregano, and the ripe seedheads of dill and fennel for drying so you have winter supplies for cooking. Harvest on a dry day when the sun has had a chance to evaporate any dew from the plants. Gather small bunches of the leafy herbs, tie with twine and hang somewhere warm and dry for a couple of weeks. Give the seedheads a shake onto a piece of white paper to make sifting the seeds easier. Store the leaves and seeds in separate airtight containers.