do it!

Easy Remove the flower spikes of summer-flowering heathers - you can use shears taking care not to cut into old wood, as it won't re- shoot.

As soon as all the leaves drop off your old apple tree, prune those gnarled branches and reshape the tree so that it looks more interesting, and gives a better yield of fruit. Look closely at the branches: the ones that bear clusters or spurs should be left untouched, as they will carry next year's fruit. Remove damaged, diseased and crossing branches, thinning the congested growth in the centre of the plant to allow for good air circulation.DIY itChilly nights bring about dramatic changes in the garden. While deciduous trees and shrubs are putting on a great show as their leaves change to vibrant colours before falling to the ground, evergreens such as bergenias and mahonia are also turning sumptuous plummy and claret shades, and the variegated euonymus is taking on pink tones after the leaves are frosted. You will also see a marked change in the dwarf pines Winter Sun and Ophir, which turn from green to gold as winter sets in.Good ideaDesign itCUT a potato in half, carve out shapes - say, holly leaves and berries - then paint and make your own Christmas cards.Tie in splayed branches on columnar conifers to improve their shape and, if snow is forecast, to prevent them from breaking under the weight.Get pruningTake root cuttings of perennials with thick, fleshy roots, including phlox, oriental poppies and verbascums.Cover brassicas with netting to protect them from pigeons.Effort Clear leaves from lawns, paths, gravel, gutters and drain grilles. Use a blower or vac for large areas. Compost the leaves to make a soil-conditioning leaf mould.Cover root crops on the veg plot with straw to prevent the soil from freezing, which will make harvesting easier. Don't cover parsnips, as they have a sweeter taste after they've been under frost!

CUT a potato in half, carve out shapes - say, holly leaves and berries - then paint and make your own Christmas cards.