VEGETABLE PATCH : The early hours carry a root-day character — a good window for harvesting leeks. Pull them while the ground is still cool and damp, then trim the roots and outer leaves before storing in a cool shed. If you grow artichokes, check the base of each plant and clear away any yellowing leaves to improve air circulation around the crown.
LANDSCAPING : Once the morning has passed, the garden shifts into a flower day — a fine moment for ornamental care. Chrysanthemums in pots deserve a little attention now: remove spent blooms with clean scissors to keep the display going, and check that ties on climbing roses are not cutting into new wood. Dahlias still in the ground in mild areas can be left a little longer, but watch the forecast — lift tubers before a hard frost, let them dry for a day or two, then store in barely damp compost in a frost-free shed. Hydrangeas benefit from a generous mulch of leaf mould or bark around the base, protecting roots from cold snaps ahead. Clematis and wisteria can have their ties checked and loosened where stems have thickened over the season. A thin top-dressing of compost around camellia and rhododendron roots now will feed them gently through winter without disturbing the surface.