Seven key jobs you must do in your garden this November to ensure great crops next year

Just because the dreary, rainy weather has kicked in, it doesn't mean the tasks have come to an end.

November is actually a busy month for in the UK - from planting tulips for Spring to lifting Dahlias and bringing tender plants under cover before the frosty mornings start to hit. It is also the perfect time to plant a whole host of flowers and food that will harvest through spring and summer next year. Many of these tasks are also essential for anyone with an allotment, not just for the garden. So, grab your green gloves and let's get to it!

1. Plant garlic

If you've already planted your garlic bulbs, don't worry, as this can be done as early as September. However, if you've been putting the job off - now is a good time to crack on as planting before will allow you to harvest the cult-fave ingredient in summer. "Like all garlic of any type, plant plump individual cloves (the bigger the clove the bigger the bulb it will generate) 6-9 inches apart , pointed end up and buried a good inch below the surface in well-drained soil in a very sunny position that has plenty of organic material dug into it," instructs British horticulturist Monty Don. "Shoots will appear in about six- eight weeks."

2. Prune fruit brushes

If you're lucky enough to have blackcurrant, redcurrant, whitecurrant or gooseberry bushes - November is the perfect time to prune them as they will now be dormant. Make sure to remove any dead or dying wood and cut the bush into a open, goblet-like shape so any fruit that grows in the summer won't weigh the bush down.

3. Plant Paperwhites

In his eponymously named blog, Monty urged Brits to plant Paperwhite daffodils (aka narcissi papyraceus) at the beginning of this month if you want them to flower over the Christmas period and into the start of next year. "Unlike most daffodils, it is native to the mediterranean and do not require a period of vernalisation - or cold - to induce flowering,".

You should plant these bulbs just beneath the surface of your compost' in a container with drainage and can add some charcoal to keep the soil 'sweet'. Water them regularly but don't let them go soggy, and keep them in a warm, light place indoors to expert flowers in four weeks.

4. Protect your cabbage

According to , November is a good time to protect your brassica crops (like cabbage) from hungry pigeons that will snack on the veg and spoil your harvest. "Use mesh and make sure that it lifts clear of the brassicas, otherwise birds will be able to peck through it," the publication states.

5. Plant Tulips

Perhaps one of the most important jobs of November is planting Tulips to guarantee blooms in Spring next year. You can do this job between now and Christmas, but the earlier they're planted the earlier they will flower. says the popular bloom can be planted into pots, tubs, beds, and borders, and should be planted about 15cm deep. This means their main green stems will have 'base support to stay upright above ground'.

6. Plant shallots

Along with garlic, November is the best time to also plant shallots to harvest in the summer months. Simple push the bulb sets into loose soil or dig a small hole before planting so only the papery tip of the bulb is still showing. "Avoid autumn planting in heavy soil prone to water logging over winter, as the bulbs are likely to rot," the warns. Alternatively you could cover the ground with a weed suppressing membrane and make small slits in the material for the plants to grow through.

7. Hardwood cuttings

Hardwood cuttings are an easy way to create new shrubs, bushes and even trees that already exist in your garden. You can do this for rose bushes or fruit bushes, along with any flowering shrub or tree. "Cut a 12-24 inch length of straight stem the thickness of a pencil of this year's growth, and divide it into lengths between six and 12 inches long," . "Cut straight across the bottom and at an angle at the top so you remember which way up to plant it and to provide an angle for water to run off." Then, strip of any leaves and plant the cuttings so around one third is above soil level in a deep pot filled with gritty compost. Leave them until next Autumn, watering well once a week and they'll eventually make for potting up or planting straight out into the garden.

Do you have a story to share? Email us at yourmirror@mirror.co.uk for a chance to be featured