Gardening expert explains one niggling job to do urgently to stop 'spring hell'

Garden enthusiasts are being urged not to take it easy this November, as an expert has shared crucial tips for maintaining a healthy garden. Michael, who goes by the handle 'themediterraneangardener' on TikTok and boasts a following of 250,000, has revealed his top gardening tasks for the month.

His advice includes guidance on the best bulbs to plant, how to manage fallen leaves and empty plant pots, and other essential garden maintenance. According to Michael, now is the perfect time to plant tulips.

"It is finally time to plant tulips and lasagnes pots and borders and you will want to lift dahlia tubers and store them in a dry, frost-proof place."

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he said. Another TikTok user, 'plant_daddyuk', agreed that "September to November" is the ideal period to plant tulips.

In a post dated October 15, the TikTok star claimed that tulips are one of the best flowers to plant at this time of year. BBC Gardeners' World Magazine also endorsed tulips as "perfect for adding colour to borders in April and May and grow very well in pots"

The magazine advised: "Tulips are spring bulbs, planted in mid to late autumn. Tulips are technically perennial, but years of breeding to get the most beautiful blooms means that many varieties only flower reliably for one year. Many gardeners plant new bulbs each autumn to ensure a good display. If you're growing tulips in pots, you need to plant fresh bulbs each year."

The 'themediterraneangardener' is dishing out more green-fingered advice, recommending the addition of "some winter colour into" bare plant pots with choices like "violas, heathers, conifers and hardy tub plants."

As autumn sheds its leaves, Michael highlights the importance of tidiness. "As the leaves fall, you want to collect them up off your lawns, which you can keep and turn into leaf mould," he explains, adding that it's also prime time for sorting out garden furniture before frost sets in.

"After you have collected the leaves, it is a good time to clean and pack up your outdoor furniture. Outdoor cushions will be damaged in freezing temperatures."

Moving on to more garden maintenance, tackling weeds now can make life easier come spring. "Dealing with them in autumn will reduce weed problems in spring," he remarks.

And don't forget about your plants: "Finally, cut down faded perennials that are looking tatty and mulch the surrounding soil," Michael advises. Mulching not only retains moisture and fends off weeds but enhances the soil with nutrients, echoes the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

Their insights affirm: "Mulching is generally used to save water, suppress weeds and improve the soil around plants but it also gives your garden a neat, tidy appearance and can reduce the amount of time spent on tasks such as watering and weeding. Mulches help soil retain moisture in summer, rain to penetrate the soil in winter, prevent weeds from growing and protect the roots of plants in winter."