Get your soil winter-ready – now’s the time to dig, prep and boost your beds for spring

Parsnips roots will have reached full size by now, so you can begin harvesting them whenever needed. To get them out in one piece, loosen the soil around the roots with a garden fork beforehand, and i

How can I keep my plot clear of weeds over winter so I don’t need to have a massive tidy up next spring? Planning ahead now will save you so much time in the long run. Remove any weeds now and dig ove

How to carry on growing food over winter ...

Make more thin-rooted perennials such as Japanese anemones, phlox and hardy geraniums with this method of root cuttings. Lift a clump of your chosen plant with a garden fork, select the best roots and

Lucy Hutchings looks at what you can be doing in the vegetable garden now, to get ahead of the game in the spring