The RSPB recommend feeding birds throughout the year but this is a most important time to ensure that your precious garden birds get through the winter

Here are the RSPB’s Top Tips for attracting birds to your garden:

• Put out high protein seed mixes & kitchen scraps

• Put out hanging feeders containing black sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts, sunflower-rich mixes or unsalted peanuts

• Ensure a supply of fresh water every day

• Supply apples and pears for blackbirds and thrushes

• Fat blocks rubbed into the bark of trees is a great help for treecreepers, goldcrests and others

• Put up nest boxes to provide roost sites for the smaller birds. They will then be used for breeding later in the year.

• Plant berry-bearing plants such as hawthorn, rowan, holly, cotoneaster and berberis

• Leave wild, weedy or shrubby areas in the garden to provide a natural seed and insect source

• Feed live foods such as mealworms and waxworms

If you are new to bird feeding, click here to find out more

Grow Your Own

Growing your own vegetables can be extremely satisfying. Not only do they taste much better than shop bought vegetables they are also cheaper and tend to provide us with more vitamins, minerals and nutrients. It is also so much more convenient to pop out to your garden than to trek down to the shops for a couple of fresh tomatoes and a lettuce. So, there's no excuse not to grow your own, you don't need a large garden or an allotment, just a few pots on the patio will do if space is limited.

If you've never grown your own vegetables before have a look at our comprehensive guide where you will find out how to sow seeds, prepare seed beds, grow on your plants and all about Crop Rotation.

To buy your Tomato, Onion and Shallot seeds take a look at a selections from Thompson and Morgan.