Planting
· Get your Christmas tree. Please, please, please get a real one. It is actually much better for the environment than those horrid plastic things as they are naturally biodegradable and you can recycle it when Christmas is over. A plastic Christmas tree will still be here on Christmas day in 1000 years time! Real trees are also grown in sustainable forests where they pump out oxygen and suck up carbon dioxide, cleaning the atmosphere.

· If you get a Christmas tree that is potted or has a root, plant it in plenty of moist compost and keep it outdoors until you really need it. When you bring it inside, keep it well watered being careful to keep the water well away from the lights. If your tree is cut then the best place for it is in one of those stands with a reservoir. Cut the first inch off the stump and then plonk it into the well. Keep it well watered throughout the festive season otherwise you'll be hoovering up needles every day!

· Sow sweet peas under glass for midsummer flowers.

· Plant new roses but only if it is mild and frost-free.

· By mid-December make sure you have planted winter aconite for flowers in the first few months of the New Year.

Read on for more December planting and maintenance tips plus how to ask Sven a question of your own.