Thorngrove’s head gardener, Chris Francis, gives his tips for what to do this month…

* Prune your apple and pear trees if you have not already done so.

* Check stored dahila and begonias tubers for rot and drying out.

* Start forcing rhubarb by placing a bucket or pots over the crown.

* Dig over any vacant plots that have not been dug already.

* Clean your old pots ready for the coming season.

* Plant soft friut such as raspberries.

* Sow sweetpeas and broad beans indoors and also perennials such as aquligias, hollyhock, and lupins.

* Keep feeding the birds. A good one to use is the non-grow variety so if the birds don’t eat it all, you won’t get a field of wheat growing in your garden (550g, £1; 1kg, £1.95)

At Thorngrove this month…

* 20% off selected trees

* 50% off herbaceous plants and shrub tools

Thorngrove Garden Centre, Common Mead Lane, Gillingham, SP8 4RE
Open 7 days a week; Monday  – Saturday, 9am-5pm; Sunday 10am-5pm.

Also see:

* December in the garden