Catch up with last-minute jobs in the garden.

It's that time of year again when the clocks go back, days get dark sooner and those last-minute outdoor DIY jobs get left until the following spring. To prevent unfinished DIY jobs from piling up, make the most of the daylight and finish off outdoor DIY jobs this weekend.

In the winter there can be anything up to 19 hours of darkness a day in the UK. Not having as much sunlight means that our energy levels drop and as the days become colder `hibernation fever' sets in ( a complete reluctance to venture outside.

To keep your garden looking good throughout winter and to ensure that when spring arrives it is still manageable, there are a number of things you can do. B&Q recommends the following top five tips to get your garden in shape for winter.

1. Paint your fences, shed and external doors with a weather-proof protector to see the wood through the harsh winter months.

2. Make sure you have stored items such as garden furniture and your barbecue securely, as well as your garden equipment. These items will not only clutter up a garden during the winter months but they may also be damaged by cold and wet weather.

3. Spruce up your lawn by vacuuming up leaves and finishing off all the shredding, trimming and pruning.

4. Use a compost bin and compost-maker to turn your garden debris into nutritious, natural compost for use on your flower beds, or as a soil improver in the spring.

5. You can also plant winter-flowering pansies in hanging baskets or tubs to bring a splash of colour to the winter months. Ivy, heathers and spring-flowering bulbs such as snowdrops can be planted too.

B&Q spokesperson, Lorian Coutts said: "Clocks going back signals the psychological onset of winter so it's best to sort out your garden now before you spend the rest of the winter feeling guilty about the mess outside."