November in the Garden...

• 1 Take root cuttings of plants such as Oriental poppies and Japanese anemones.
• 2 Safeguard agapanthus and crinum by piling autumn leaves or compost over the crowns to insulate them from frost and cold.
• 3 Plant ornamental fruit and nut trees such as quince, crab apple, medlar and hazel.
• 4 Now’s the best time to plant tulips, in a sunny spot, at a depth between two and three times their size.
• 5 Keep an eye out for annual weeds. Winter may be approaching, but they will still grow if weather is mild.
• 6 Wedge a handful of straw in the crown of tree ferns to protect from frost. Wrap a sheet of hessian or bubble wrap around vulnerable pots.
• 7 Shore up spring cabbages by drawing up soil around them to steady the developing heads against wind rock.
• 8 Houseplants: reduce watering and stand on trays of gravel to increase humidity well away from cold draughts.