November is often one of the wettest months of the year, and also brings fog and frosts. Despite the gloom there's still some colour to be found among leaves and berries. Winter-flowering shrubs such as Mahonia media hybrids, winter honeysuckle and Viburnum bodnantense will bring gorgeous fragrance to the short days. Try and spend a little time tidying up your borders – you'll be pleased you did when spring comes round. This is a good time of year to plant conifers with the help of your favourite J Arthur Bower's planting mixture.

ESSENTIAL JOBS CHECKLIST FOR NOVEMBER

• Plant conifers and evergreens
• Clear leaves and compost them
• Sow peas and broad beans
• Spike lawn and give it an autumn feed
• Protect tender outdoor plants from frost
• Start stored poinsettias into growth for Christmas

Plant bulbs for spring

• Frosts can strike in November so make sure you have some horticultural fleece handy to throw over tender shrubs
• November is a good time of year to plant new hedges. You'll see bundles of bare-rooted hedging plants in garden centres now. Prepare your site well, digging on lots of organic matter such as homemade compost or J Arthur Bower's Farm Manure before you plant
• Harden off autumn-sown sweet peas by keeping the cold frame open as much as possible during slight frosts. If the temperature drops below –2 C (28 F) close the frame and cover it. Watch out for aphids on the young plants

• Roses need very little attention this month – just make sure they're all tidied up for the winter
• Order bare-rooted roses from catalogues

• This is your last chance to catch up with jobs you didn't do earlier, such as aerating your lawns and applying an autumn feed

• Pot on cuttings of tender perennials that were taken in September. Use J Arthur Bower's Multi-Purpose Compost or John Innes No. 1 if you prefer.
• Keep the greenhouse well-ventilated to keep diseases at bay

• For a splash of colour plant a container with some of the colourful ornamental cabbages now available or winter-flowering heathers. The heathers, varieties of Erica carnea prefer an ericaceous compost
• If you have cordylines or other tender shrubs in pots protect them from winter frosts. Remember that some terracotta pots are not frost-resistant and should be stored through the winter

• For an early crop of broad beans sow varieties such as "Aquadulce Claudia" and "Reina Blanca"
• Peas can be sown for an early crop.
• If your cold frame is standing idle use it to grow a crop of carrots

• If you have a bay tree in a container make sure it's in a sheltered place or protect it with fleece for the winter

• Established trees can be winter-pruned this month

• Clean out your pond and remove the pump and filter, clean and store.

• Remove fallen leaves from around rock plants

Look at our information pages. The aim is to cut out the mystique that surrounds many common tasks, and to explain in a simple way, why and how to do them. This way, we hope to help you enjoy your garden more, and get the best out of it.

Under each topic, you'll also find a guide to the wide range of J Arthur Bower's products available to help you with that particular task. The choice is yours.