If you do one thing this week in the garden, make it count, says gardening expert Diarmuid Gavin who advises that certain plants and trees need to receive urgent attention to avoid problems next year

As winter rolls in following the first frost, gardeners are being warned to take urgent action to ensure that their plants come back healthy next spring.

Acers and birches need to be lavished with attention now, and inspected for any awkward or diseased branches that need pruning. It's important to do it now because their sap rises early and leaving it until next spring will be too late.

That's not the only job that the green-fingered amongst us need to tackle this week...

Jobs for the week

Walk through your garden and see what seeds or berries are available to collect and keep for spring

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