TO DO LIST

Deadhead dahlias regularly to avoid fungal disease, and at the same time, remove any mildewy buds, which will never open.

Put away any hosepipe that you won’t be using till next spring. Roll it up, let any water drain out, and store it in the dark in a frost-free, rodentproof shed.

When shrub roses finish flowering, remove dead heads and shorten long stems to tidy the shape of the plant.

Harvest main-crop potatoes when the foliage turns yellow or brown. Late varieties can be left in the ground until November.