Time to tidy up and prepare for next year

■ GET a head start with hardy annuals and sow now. These can be sown in situ or in trays.

■ IF you have an area set aside as a meadow, it’s time to give it its autumn chop. Cut as close to the ground as possible and remove cuttings. This allows the light in and helps germination of new seeds.

■ REMOVE summer raspberry canes that have finished fruiting. Next year’s fruit will be on the fresh green canes and these need tying on to supports. No raspberries? Think about ordering them or blackberry canes now as you can plant them in the dormant season this winter.

■ DRY days make good seed collection days. Armed with a brown paper bag and pen, shake the seed into the bag and label. Many seeds can be sown fresh now or kept in a dry cool place for spring sowing.

■ START planting bulbs – you can get autumn flowering crocus in the shops now which should be planted immediately.

■ IT’S a good time of the year for soil improvement. Dig in your garden compost or fork in some well-rotted manure.

■ WHILE this beautiful weather continues and the ground is still warm, it’s a good time to plant herbaceous perennials. It’ll give your plants a head start so they are raring to go in spring.

■ FOR the same reasons, it’s also a good time to lift and divide perennials that have become congested and need some rejuvenation. They won’t all like division – for example, those with long tap roots or those that are flowering now. When replanting divisions or new perennials, give them a good soak and keep them well watered to help them establish.

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