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Nature shuts up shop and takes a well-earned rest — but you still have work to do.

Finish potting up newly-collected raw material by the middle of the month, and protect the roots from the worst of the weather.

Only rough pruning of raw material is safe now. Leave short stubs which can be trimmed off in spring.

Keep soil moist if the weather doesn’t do it for you. Waterlogging can be a problem with trees exposed all winter. Use your discretion, and shelter trees if necessary during prolonged spells of heavy rain.

All trees which require winter protection should be accommodated by the middle of the month. Thoroughly clean them first and spray with non systemic fungicide, if you forgot to do it last month. Take picture of your trees as you put them away, as a matter of routine. Hardwood cuttings may still be successful if taken this month.

Clean around your growing and display areas and treat timber with horticultural wood preservative. Spray the surrounding area with insecticide and fungicide to kill off sneaky pests lurking there.

Make up your Christmas present list of tools, pots, and other paraphernalia, and distribute it widely!

The more time you’ spend with them now, the more you respect their endurance. There is little work for you to do.

Trees kept in the open will not need watering; in fact they may even need to be protected from excessive rain. A thick blanket of snow does no harm to large, hardy trees in the open. But if the thaw is rapid, the trees are likely to receive the equivalent of a week’s rain in just one day, so it is wise to clear the snow before this happens. Trees under cover should be inspected weekly and kept just moist.

Inspect trees for pests during your weekly water check. Conifers under cover can be devastated by aphids or spider mites at any time during the winter, in a matter of a couple of weeks. Also cheek the peat boxes you plunged your smaller trees in and clean off any moss.

Give the lower trunks and airing every now and then, during mild spells. Take the opportunity to sort through the photographs of your trees, catalogue your collection and decide which trees to pass on to new owners.

By late winter, you can begin to prune hardy deciduous trees if you are sure the remaining shoots and branches are in good health. Seal wounds and protect from frost until growth has started. Towards the end of the month, last year’s shoots and old spurs can be trimmed back to live buds.

Wire deciduous trees while the buds are still tight against the shoots. As the buds swell they become more fragile and are easily damaged and even more easily dislodged. Don’t wait too long or you will get caught out. There is nothing more soul-destroying than spending hours wiring a prize bonsai, only to discover all the next season’s potential growth lying on the workbench! Protect newly-wired trees from frost until the buds begin to burst.

Keep repotted trees moist but not wet. Shelter them from constant rain. Other trees will begin to demand water as they come out of dormancy. It is still very cold and hard frosts will kill roots in waterlogged soils, so beware!