Take everything out and think about whether you used it during the past year. The Conservation Foundation ( conservationfoundation.co.uk ) takes donations of broken tools for prisoners to repair that then go to local schoolchildren and community groups. Wall hangers are good for keeping your remaining tools tidy. While the weather is still relatively warm and moist, it’s a good time to give your lawn some TLC after the rigours of summer.

Leeks of summer varieties (sown in April like other varieties, but maturing earlier) with long stems, want harvesting now as their shanks are at risk of frost damage. Leeks of spring varieties will grow a lot more in mild weather so are best left until March or April. If you’ve multi-sown your leeks like I do, you’ll have more than one plant per station. You can either lift the whole clump or insert a knife and cut through the roots to remove one plant without damaging the rest. Start dahlia tubers into growth. Bury in pots of compost, leaving the old stem exposed place in a light, frost-free spot. There's more tips on how to grow dahlias in our guide.Rake the lawn to remove moss, thatch and other debris. Scarifying is a more aggressive approach that uses a mechanical device.

Collect seed heads from the garden. The best time to do this is when the seed heads or pods have ripened and are dry and brittle. Gather them on a dry day, ideally after a rain-free spell, as they need to be completely dry when stored or they will go moldy. The Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum has a great range of free resources for EYFS, KS1, KS2, KS3 and KS4, including a wildflower meadow spotting sheet and a guide to killer plants. As crops and flowers are lifted and the ground becomes free, mulch it with 3-5cm of well-rotted manure, spent mushroom compost or garden compost. Over the course of the year, worms will pull it into the soil, so there’s no need to dig or fork it in. To keep them at their best for as long as possible, put them in a well-lit spot in a cool room. The long leaves of narcissus look good when supported by a few twiggy stems from the garden. Pumpkins and squash should be raised off the ground to ripen in the sun before harvesting. If the weather is wet, cut them early and bring them in to ripen in a greenhouse or sunny windowsill. To cure the fruits for storage, keep them in a warm room for a fortnight, then put them somewhere dry and cool but frost-free.

Watering - particularly containers, and new plants, preferably with grey recycled water or stored rainwater It's also the time of year when autumn planted bulbs display their glory. If you followed our advice on when to plant tulip bulbs, they will now be the stars of the show.

If you're learning how to grow potatoes, earth them up regularly as the foliage grows, keeping any tubers well covered. If moss is ruining the look of your lawn, apply a mosskiller or a combined feed, weed and mosskiller. If you have a lawn, now is the time to show it some TLC with some autumn lawn care. Rake it thoroughly with a wire rake to remove the moss and thatch and then spike it to aerate the soil and improve drainage. A sprinkling of phosphate feed wouldn’t go amiss either.Choose potatoes without long shoots or any signs of mould. When you get them home, tip them out of the bag into a seed tray or an old egg box and leave them in a cool, light place until you plant them, otherwise known as chitting potatoes. This will discourage the sprouts from growing too long. Some perennials, such as sedums, will benefit from being divided every few years to keep the clump growing vigorously. Feed oriental hellebores The days are noticeably getting shorter now and there is a chill in the air, signalling the sign of fall. It's a time when the leaves begin their glorious show of color and is one of the most stunning times in the garden. Shrubs with vibrant new growth fill the gap between spring bulbs and summer perennials and there’s plenty to enjoy at lower level, including alliums, foxgloves and newly planted tender plants, while scent is provided by philadelphus, wisteria, roses and the first of the sweet peas. Whether you're looking to refresh your garden or you're thinking about getting an allotment, RHS Gardening Through The Year is the ideal gardening gift that you and your friends will return to time and time again for seasonal garden inspiration and advice.

Mow the lawn before the weather gets too wet and cold, re-seed bare sections or re-turf. It's also a good time to aerate a lawn by using a garden fork as waterlogging can be common over winter. Whatever your level of skills in the garden, expert advice from the well-known gardener, Ian Spence, will help you keep your garden thriving all year round. RHS Gardening Through The Year is a must-have for anyone who has a green thumb! Most bulbs are ready to plant straight away, with the exception of tulips, which are best left until November to avoid the disease tulip fire. Whether you’re buying online, or in a garden centre or supermarket, look for named varieties and buy the biggest size bulbs you can for the best display of flowers. Plant the bulbs at three times the height of the bulb. Keep on top of garden tasks with month-by-month chapters, "Last Chance" reminders, "Get Ahead" tips, and handy to-do lists. This RHS book will make gardening easier by providing helpful guidelines and realistic advice, so you can plan out your time efficiently and effectively. There is just time in the first week of September to sow spring onions and cabbage, either direct or in modules for planting outside in early October: sow three cabbage seeds per module, and thin to one or two; and up to 10 spring onion seeds per module to plant as a clump that you can gradually thin next spring as you harvest the onions. These will grow through the winter and give crops next year. Plants-and-flowers jobs for September Buy spring bulbsKeep all your plants, containers and home grown fruit and vegetables watered well, especially if it’s hot. The best time to water is in the early morning. Aim the garden hose at the roots of the plants not the leaves. Putting out high-fat (high-energy) foods for birds in winter will help our feathered friends to get through the worst of the weather. Adjust the quantity you put out according to demand, regularly wash bird feeders and throw away old food. If squirrels are a problem in your garden, take a look at our Best Buy squirrel-proof bird feeders. If you grow your own fruit and vegetables they’ll need watering daily. Your lawn will need some TLC too, especially during hot spells. Most important of all, spend as much time in your garden as possible when doing your August gardening jobs to enjoy the benefits of all your hard work…