THERE really is plenty to be doing in the garden at this time of the year. I recently put a layer of compost around many of our trees and shrubs and border perennials. This will feed the soil, help suppress weeds and protect tender plants in colder weather. If you want to enjoy your garden, you always need to keep improving the soil in this way.

At this time of year, I am usually busy looking after young winter salad plants so that they grow to provide regular harvests of colourful and flavoursome salad leaves through autumn and winter. With some of the students I work with, we are growing these in a polytunnel and greenhouse. On my own allotment, I am growing them under cloches. What matters is that they need some protection whether that is on a window sill indoors or outside in a cold frame, for example.

You want to try to ensure that any glass or polythene protecting your plants is as clean and clear as possible so that you are maximising light levels at a time of year when the days are gradually getting darker.

I have already started to sow broad beans outside that can be cropped next year. We have bought a range of kinds of garlic bulbs that we shall be planting out shortly. We will also be sowing sweetpea seeds having enjoyed a lovely crop of scented sweetpea flowers throughout the summer.

Now is a really good time to be planting new plants in the garden and dividing many perennials to make more plants for free. The weather is still warm and the soil is moist so plants will settle and establish fairly quickly.

Don’t forget about safety too. Any slippery paths or surfaces should be brushed clean or pressure washed if you possibly can.

Do keep on top of weeds that will be growing very well in the warm and moist weather we have been experiencing. Perennial weeds like dock and dandelion are best carefully dug out with a trowel. You want to try to disturb the soil as little as possible. If you are looking to grow vegetables, then you can cover areas of soil and weeds with cardboard and then put a thick layer of compost on top. You can sow or plant directly into this.

I can't think of anything much better than using gardening at this time of year as a way to get outside in the fresh air - undertake important jobs at the same time as keeping fit and active.