Compiled by the RHS Horticultural Advisory Service
- Most gardeners check bonfires for hedgehogs before lighting them, but it is important to look out for hibernating toads, too.
- Guy Fawkes night is a good chance to get rid of diseased, or very thick, woody material. However, other garden waste is best composted directly, or shredded then composted.
- If you have gathered up masses of garden waste this autumn, you may need to build or install extra compost bins. You can buy ready-made bins, but make sure they are at least 1m by 1m (3ft by 3ft), as bigger heaps rot more effectively. If you are a wizard at DIY, a compost bin of this size or larger can be made from treated timber.
- Avoid walking on soggy borders. This can compact the soil, making it more difficult for plant roots to grow. If you need to work in the borders, stand on boards resting on top of the wet soil.
- Drain any hosepipes and irrigation equipment to prevent damage from water freezing inside them. Standpipes and taps should be insulated.
- Check your garden to see whether it offers a late source of food for insects. Ivy flowers are particularly useful, so consider growing one on a wall or fence - a good variety is Hedera colchica 'Sulphur Heart'.
- Remove dead leaves from floating pond plants such as waterlilies, and also from marginal plants that overhang the pond.
- Juicy gooseberries are so versatile in the kitchen that they easily earn their place in the garden. They are usually thought of as an acidic fruit, ideal for crumbles, jams and tarts - but there are sweet dessert varieties that can be eaten straight from the bush.
- If you would like to plant dessert gooseberries, varieties to look for are the yellow, thin-skinned 'Golden Drop' and the yellowish-white, full-flavoured 'Whitesmith'.
- Choose varieties that are resistant to American gooseberry mildew if you don't want to have to spray against this disease. The classic green 'Invicta' is a good, sharp culinary berry, while the red 'Rokula' is a cooker and an eater.
- For suppliers, log on to the RHS Plant Finder at www.rhs.org.uk.
- When you buy plants, select two- or three-year-old bushes, ideally with a well-balanced head of three to five branches. There should also be a 10cm-15cm (4in-6in) section of clear stem between the roots and branches.
- Prepare by digging in well-rotted manure or garden compost. Then scatter a handful of granular fertiliser, such as Growmore, over the planting area.
- Space gooseberries 1.2m-1.5m (4ft-5ft) apart. Plant them at the same depth in the ground that they grew in the nursery, which is usually indicated by a change in colour on the main stem - or, if the plants are in containers, just cover the top of the rootball with a little soil.
- Although most houseplants still need water in autumn and winter, remember that they will need less than they did in summer. If in doubt, push your finger into the compost - if it's moist, leave the watering for a few more days.
- Cacti, succulents and the ever-popular clivia need a period of "rest" during winter. This means the compost should be kept barely moist and there is no need to feed. However, Christmas cacti require the opposite treatment to ensure that they flower. Keep their compost damp and apply a houseplant fertiliser once a month.
- Pot amaryllis bulbs, then water and feed them regularly. They should bloom in time for the festive season.
- Watch out for pests, particularly checking the backs of leaves for whitefly and the shoots for aphids. Spraying with an insecticide, such as Provado or Bug Clear, should be effective. Aphids can be controlled organically by regularly wiping them off, but unfortunately whitefly are more persistent.