Use any that are starting to go soft straight away. It's great weather for pumpkin soup!

Grapevines can be pruned straight after the leaves have fallen as grape vines "bleed" sap copiously if they are pruned when they are growing, which can weaken the plant. Cut last years fruited canes back to 2 or 3 buds from the main stem and use the cuttings to propagate new plants for friends.

If you are keen to get a head start on your spring vegies, consider setting up a cold frame to raise your seedlings in while the weather is still cold.

A cold frame is really a mini greenhouse and can be made using old windowpanes or materials which won't break, such as polycarbonate or heavy-duty plastic. Build a box about 20-40cm high, using timber, marine ply, bricks or even straw bales.

It is best to make the back about 20cm higher than the front, with sloping sides to sit the window on, to help catch more sun.

Second-hand sliding glass doors are good if you want to make a super-sized version, but you would need to build the frame out of strong timber, or out of concrete blocks or bricks, which are great for retaining the heat at night.

It doesn't need to be especially fancy, although the sky is the limit, depending on your carpentry/construction skills and the materials you have at hand.

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Try to locate the cold frame in a slightly warmer part of your garden and facing north. Then cover with the glass or polycarbonate and you will have created a microclimate that will be several degrees warmer than the ambient temperature and give your seeds and seedlings a bit of a head start.

An option is to build your frame around an old pallet and sit your seedlings in their trays or pots on the pallet, rather than straight on the soil.

On days where the temperature rises significantly, lift the cover to increase airflow and reduce the chance of your vegie seedlings getting cooked. Don't forget to close it again in the afternoon, to prevent the frost getting in!