Garden Studios

Clear up piles of pots where snails are inclined to congregate and check compost heaps and sheds for signs of rodent activity.

Move leaves to show pumpkins and winter squashes to daylight to encourage them to ripen, in order that they store well. If the soil is damp, lift them up on tiles.

Give privet hedges their last cut of the season. Done now, they must keep their shape and stay tidy until next April.