Jobs for the week

1. Keep them sweet

Sow sweet peas in pots and keep them in a cold frame or a sheltered part of the garden. Soaking the seeds or chipping the hard seed coats with a sharp knife will speed up the germination process.

2. Unscrew the bulbs

Harvest onions, garlic and shallots as the tops begin to wither. Dig under the bulbs to sever the roots and leave them to dry in the sun for a week or more. Lift only when fully dry and store in a dry spot that is free from frost.

3. Making the beds

Tidy up your flower beds. Dig out any weeds and trim back dead flower stalks and leaves. Protect the crowns of vulnerable plants such as penstemons by putting down some bark mulch.