My greenhouse can become a bit of a storage shed in the winter months.

I’s where I tend to do my seed sowing and potting on as it is nice and light and can be pretty cosy in there.

But it will bug me if I don’t get it in order before I start piling in everything that needs a bit of protection from the winter months ahead with just a few little jobs.

Repair: replace any damaged glass before the worst of the weather sets in.

Clean: you can leave it until spring but there are so many other jobs then its probably a better time now to give the glass a wash down with horticultural disinfectant, removing any glass shading that you may have painted on for the summer months. While you are at it your pots and seed trays will benefit from a wash out also to remove any pest and diseases that may be harbouring there as well as staging and capillary matting.

Insulate: the glass with sheets of bubble wrap attaching it to the inside of the frame, pull it as tight as possible for extra insulation and to help reduce heat loss.

Ventilate: it’s important to make sure the air circulates in there especially if you are using paraffin heaters so make sure you ventilate.

Water: Don’t over water plants during the winter months.

Spare five minutes?

Take hardwood cuttings.

Cuttings taken from woody mature stems of trees and shrubs are an easy way of propagating your favourite shrubs, trees and climbers from mid Autumn to late winter.

Shrubs: Buddleja (butterfly bush); Cornus (dogwood); Forsythia; Philadelphus (mock orange); Ribes,

Trees: Salix (willow) and Populus

Climbers: Lonicera (honeysuckle); Vitis (vines) and Jasminum

Select healthy vigorous shoots that have grown this year, remove the soft tip growth, cut shoot into sections of 15-30cm in length, cutting just above a bud at an angle to remind you which end is top.

Dip the flat end into a hormone rooting powder, insert into a pot filled with 50:50 grit and multi purpose compost with two-thirds of the cutting below the surface.

The roots will form along the stem. Leave 10-15cm between cuttings. Water in and don’t allow to dry out. A cold frame or frost-free building may aid better rooting.

Plant worth a mention.

Mahonia japonica is looking great at the moment with its yellow flowers against evergreen leathery pinnate leaves this medium-sized shrub will tolerate most soils preferring moist but well drained. Mahonia will shine out from any full or partially shady corner of your garden you have.