Monty Don says now is the time to take hardwood cuttings to create new shrubs, bushes and trees

composite of Monty Don and a pair of secateurs cutting tree branches .

Spring may feel like a long way off, but autumn and winter are the perfect time to plan your garden for brighter months ahead. Pruning and taking cuttings should be done now to guarantee a successful harvest when the warm weather finally returns.

Now that the cold weather is finally here, it's time to start deadheading plants properly and collecting cuttings to propagate them. For the same reason you'd take houseplant cuttings, garden cuttings are an easy way to multiply your plants and make your garden fuller on a budget.