Now’s the time to plant out tulips

November is a great time to plant tulips and do it this side of Christmas will reward you with cheerful early blooms. There are some hardier plants that will look beautiful even in the depths of winter and can be planted in pots now, such as hardy ferns and ornamental grass and these can be interspaced with winter-flowering pansies or cyclamen which will bloom when the weather is milder.

There is always a danger of containers freezing as they are not protected by surrounding soil. Making sure that water does not sit in them is therefore very important and can be done by ensuring there is free draining soil, holes at the pot bottoms, and feet to allow the water to come out of the pot.

Other parts of the garden may be beginning to look quite sparse, especially if you are keeping on top of the usual tidying of dead matter and sweeping up of leaves. Leaves can be gathered as always into a pile – use chicken wire to surround it if there is a danger of it blowing away, but you don’t need an elaborate structure – and used to feed the soil once it has broken down into a nice brown soil-like consistency.

If you have any apple trees, then you can winter prune them this month. It is a fairly simple procedure and a look on the RHS website will give you a clear guide to follow if you are unsure. Cutting out the dead, diseased, damaged, and crossing branches and keeping a clear central area are key though. Apple wood makes the sweetest wood for burning, so save larger pieces for a wood burner or open fire.

For information about volunteering at Luton Hoo Walled Garden and further events, visit our website www.lhwg.org.uk or find us on facebook or twitter @Hoosgarden