December is a pretty cold and dreary month outside. Time for a bit of armchair gardening

A.� If you've got all the seed and spring bulb catalogues to hand and the weather's grim this is certainly the best time to sit in front of the fire and start looking forward to next year.

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Before getting carried away with all the glossy images and exotic new offerings it is always worth giving some thought to last year's stock. What worked and what didn' Can you recall what changes you would have made if you could when you looked at your garden during the spring and summer, different colour combinations you wanted to try etc

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A.� You should continue digging over beds and borders, adding compost and manure where needed. The sooner you do this the better as the impending frosts will help break clods of soil up and the nutrients will have time to be absorbed in time for spring planting.

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This is also a good time to check on trellis and other supports to check if any parts are broken or rotted and need replacing or treating and that all are securely fixed.

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A.� Long grass in winter can flop over, look untidy and even start to rot if it's wet. However, if you are going to cut make sure you do it when the grass is dry and frost free. Brush off leaves and worm casts and raise the blade slightly to avoid ripping it.

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A.� There is still time to plant climbers and ornamental trees as long as the ground is frozen or waterlogged. Even rose bushes can be planted at this late stage, but the sooner the better.

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A.� Pests like red spider mite and aphids delight in the warmth of our centrally heated homes. Keep and eye out for them and treat if necessary.

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If you've got the heaters on full blast it is a good idea to keep the atmosphere around house plants moist by misting them with a fine spray regularly. During mild wet weather houseplants will appreciate a few hours outside to freshen them up.

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A.� It's a good time to dig trenches for spring sowings of beans and peas. Dig to about one-and-a-half foot deep, back fill to half way with compost or manure and then add the soil on top, forming a ridge that will gradually settle in time for spring.

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