Spring is finally in evidence as daffodils, tulips and blossom on the trees start to appear. If the weather continues to improve this month, take a few moments to enjoy being outside in your own garden as this could be the month that lifts our spirits and encourages us all to get out into our own gardens.

Flowers

• Sow hardy annuals, such as Marigolds, Poppies, Cosmos etc;
• On warm still days, place seedlings that have been started indoors outside to harden them off. Place them outside during the day, but take them in again later in the day before it gets too cold. Repeat this process for about a week or so for them to acclimatise;
• Protect the new shoots of hostas and other vulnerable plants from slugs and snails;
• Deadhead spring bulbs and bedding so that they don’t waste energy setting seed;
• Sweet peas can now be sown outdoors at the base of supports;
• Spray the new leaves of roses with a fungicide to control mildew, rust and blackspot;
• Prune hydrangeas, cutting back the old stems to a healthy shoot lower down;
• Divide and replant mature clumps of hardy perennials;
• Plant Lily bulbs straight into the ground, adding grit at the bottom of the planting hole for drainage on heavy clay soils.

Fruit and veg

• Plant maincrop potatoes;
• Place cardboard collars around the stems of brassicas to deter cabbage root fly from laying their eggs;
• Sow small batches of salad leaves;
• Sow flowering companions in the veg plot, such as pot marigolds and borage;
• Protect emerging seedlings from slugs and snails;
• Sow fast-growing crops, such as radishes, to make the most of any temporary gaps.

Greenhouse

• Prick out seedlings growing in pots and trays as soon as they produce their first true leaves;
• Transplant greenhouse tomatoes into growing bags or large containers and tie in the stems to supports;
• Plant up hanging baskets and pots with summer bedding, but keep them inside until after the last frost;
• Sow runner beans, French beans, cucumbers, courgettes etc;
• Clean greenhouse glazing to let in as much light as possible;
• Open greenhouse doors and vents on warm days, to improve air circulation.

Garden maintenance

• Place a bag of barley straw in ponds to discourage algae and help keep the water clear;
• Lay turf or sow grass seed to create a new lawn and repair damaged patches;
• Keep on top of annual weeds emerging with a hoe as they grow rapidly at this time of year.
• Only hoe on dry days – this way any weeds that you hoe will die off and wilt quickly;
• Treat moss and weeds in turf with lawn weedkiller, and boost growth with a nitrogen-rich lawn feed.

The idea of chilly days and nights disappearing still seems a long way off at the moment, however March heralds the start of Spring. Let’s hope that the temperatures improve as garden plants begin to spring into life.

Flowers

• Finish pruning roses this month to encourage strong new growth.
• This is the last chance to plant bare-root trees, shrubs, roses and fruit trees.
• Prune shrubs with colourful winter stems to their base such as Cornus and Salix.
• Start to sow hardy annuals outdoors, including poppies and nasturtiums and nigella.
• Plant summer-flowering bulbs such as lilies, begonias and freesias in pots and borders.
• Feed shrubs such as rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias with an ericaceous fertiliser.
• Tidy up borders, removing established and newly-germinating weeds, then mulch generously.
• Scatter general-purpose fertiliser over flowerbeds, around roses, shrubs and hedges, lightly forking it into the soil surface.
• Plant snowdrops in the green to brighten up your winter garden next year.
• Lift and divide established perennial plants now to improve their vigour and create new plants for your garden.
• Trim winter-flowering heathers as the flowers disappear to prevent the plants becoming leggy.

Fruit and veg

• Sow tomatoes, chillies, sweet peppers, courgetts and aubergines in pots indoors.
• Make the first outdoor sowings of hardy vegetables and protect with cloches or fleece.
• Plant early potatoes.
• Start hoeing vegetable beds as soon as the weather starts to warm up as weeds will germinate quickly.

Greenhouse

• Take down insulation in the greenhouse once temperatures begin to rise. This will also let in more light.
• Buy bedding plants for growing on to a larger size under glass, or sow your own in a heated propagator.
• Pot up overwintering cannas into fresh compost, water in, then place in a warm spot to encourage them into growth.
• Sow sweet peas in deep pots and keep them frost-free in a greenhouse or on indoors on a sunny windowsill.
• Take cuttings from dahlia tubers to raise new plants.
• Open greenhouse vents on sunny days to prevent the humidity building up.

Garden maintenance

• In mild weather, give the lawn its first cut, with the mower on a high setting.
• Put slug barrier products around the new shoots of hostas and other susceptible perennials.
• Check that tree ties aren’t too tight and that stakes are still firmly anchored in the ground.
• Prune out any wind-damaged branches on trees and shrubs.
• Keep putting out food for garden birds as the breeding season will be getting underway.
• Cut back winter-flowering jasmine to tidy it up and encourage flowers for next year.
• Get rid of slippery patches on the patio and paving by scrubbing with a broom or blasting with a pressure washer.

There are signs that Spring is just around the corner! Daylight length is increasing. Early spring-flowering bulbs are peaking through now and buds are plumping up ready to start putting on a display. With the odd sunny day encouraging us to get outside, it’s time to start thinking about what we need to do in the garden this year. So, with that in mind, here is a list of important jobs to do this month.

Flowers

• Cut back deciduous ornamental grasses that have been left uncut over the winter before new shoots appear. Cut them back to within a few centimetres of the ground
• Divide large clumps of snowdrops after flowering (commonly referred to as ‘in the green’) and replant to start new colonies
• Prune late summer-flowering clematis, cutting stems back to healthy buds about 30cm from the base
• Divide congested clumps of herbaceous perennials and grasses to make vigorous new plants for free
• Prune winter-flowering shrubs, such as winter-flowering jasmine and heathers, once they’ve finished flowering to encourage new growth for next year’s blooms
• Prune your Wisteria now, cutting back summer side-shoots to 2 or 3 buds
• Plant bare root roses for summer colour
• Prune hybrid tea and floribunda roses, before growth restarts
• Sprinkle slow-release fertiliser around the base of roses and other flowering shrubs

Fruit and veg

• Finish pruning apple trees and pear trees whilst they are still dormant
• Protect blossom on apricots, nectarines and peaches
• Chit potato tubers, standing them in trays (I use empty egg boxes) in a light, frost-free place
• Prepare veg beds for sowing by covering them with a thick mulch of organic matter and then covering over with a sheet to enable the ground to warm up
• Check empty pots that may be harbouring any overwintering snails

Greenhouse

• Sow sweet peas in deep pots and keep them in a frost-free environment (I use toilet rolls for this). If you planted any sweet peas in autumn, now is the time to pot them on and pinch them out to encourage side shoots
• Sow tender crops such as tomatoes and chillies in a heated propagator or on a warm sunny windowsill
• Plant dahlia tubers in trays to encourage shoots to develop, which you can then use as cuttings
• Wash greenhouse glazing inside and out to let in as much light as possible

Garden maintenance

• If we are unlucky enough to have any further snowfall, knock it off evergreen shrubs, hedges and conifers to prevent any branches from snapping under the weight
• Improve the soil by spreading organic matter over beds
• Clear away old plant debris from pond margins and scoop out any leaves that have fallen into the water
• Clean and service mowers and garden power tools, so they’re in good order for spring
• As roses are hungry plants, spread a layer of well-rotted manure around them and they’ll repay you later on in the year

The days are getting shorter with the temperatures dropping at the moment. However, it can still be a pleasure to be out in the garden, especially on clear frosty, sunny days. The garden takes on a different appearance during winter months, as the layers of perennials have died down it is the evergreens which take up the baton. In any garden, it is important to have structure that will provide stability through the seasons.

There can still be colour around too, with winter-flowering heathers, Jasminum nudiflorum and Hamamelis mollis. Along with berries on shrubs such as Callicarpa and Ilex  aquifolium and colourful stems of trees  such as Betula and Acer griseum.

Flowers

• Continue to cut back faded herbaceous perennials and add them to the compost heap.
• If the weather remains mild, you can still lift and divide herbaceous perennials. This will increase stocks, and revive tired or poorly flowering clumps.
• Root cuttings can be taken now, such as Papaver (perennial poppies), Phlox and Anemones.
• Order seed catalogues, if you have not done so already, to select next year’s bedding and perennial choices.
• Bring forced bulbs into a warm room to encourage them to flower.

Fruit and veg

• Place straw around the base of parsnips to prevent soil freezing, which can make harvesting difficult.
• Winter prune large fruit trees to control their shape and size, and to increase fruiting productivity for next year.
• Plan next year’s crops and order seeds.

Greenhouse

• Pick faded leaves and dead flowers regularly from plants overwintering in the greenhouse, such as pelargoniums.
• Check that greenhouse heaters are working.
• If the weather is mild, ventilate the greenhouse.

Garden maintenance

• Scoop fallen leaves and debris from ponds, leave them on the side so pond life can escape, and then add them to the compost bin.
• Insulate outdoor taps and prevent ponds from freezing.
• Protect terracotta pots from cracking in freezing weather by either bringing them indoors or wrapping them in bubble polythene.
• Raise outdoor patio containers onto feet or bricks to avoid them sitting in the winter wet.
• Rake up fallen leaves in borders that could be harbouring slugs and other pests.
• Clean paths to prevent them from becoming slippery and repair sheds, fences and trellises.
• Avoid walking on lawns covered with frost.

The nights are drawing in and there is now less time to spend in the garden. However there are still plenty of jobs to do in the garden. Main activities will revolve around clearing up after summer and preparing for the winter and spring ahead.

Here are a list of important jobs to do this month to keep your garden looking good:

Flowers

• Plant drifts of spring bulbs informally in a lawn, such as crocuses and daffodils
• Lift tender Cannas and Dahlias to avoid frost damage, dry off the tubers and store in cool dark conditions until spring
• Plant up pots with winter colour, such as Cyclamen, Winter Pansies and Skimmia
• Lift and pot up tender perennials to protect them over winter
• Plant evergreen shrubs and conifer hedges while the soil is still warm
• Collect seeds from hardy perennials and sow straight away
• Take hardwood cuttings from ornamental trees and shrubs
• Reduce the height of shrub roses to avoid wind-rock damage over winter

Fruit and veg

• Take cuttings of shrubby herbs, such as Rosemary, Lemon Verbena and Thyme
• Cover salad plants with cloches to prolong cropping
• Plant garlic cloves in a sunny well-drained spot, 15cm apart, with their tip 5cm below the surface
• Wrap grease bands around the trunks of apple, pear, cherry and plum trees to trap the crawling female winter moth
• Cut autumn-fruiting raspberries down to the ground after harvesting
• Order bare-root fruit trees and bushes for planting from late autumn to early spring

Greenhouse

• Clean out the greenhouse to get rid of debris that can harbour overwintering pests and diseases
• Wash greenhouse glazing to let in as much of the weaker autumn daylight as possible
• Sow quick-growing micro-greens, such as kale and mustard, for nutrient-rich pickings in just a few weeks
• Line greenhouse glazing with bubble insulation, as night-time temperatures start to drop
• Water plants more sparingly as conditions turn cooler and the days get shorter
• Sow sweet peas in deep pots for early flowers next summer
• Inspect plants you bring into the greenhouse over winter for any pests and diseases

Garden maintenance

• Rake up fallen leaves from lawns, borders, driveways and paths, and store in bin bags to rot down into leaf mould
• Spike compacted lawns and brush either sharp sand or horticultural grit into the holes to help improve drainage
• Apply an autumn lawn feed to revive the grass after the rigours of summer
• Empty any pots that aren’t frost proof and store in a garage or shed over winter

Although this is traditionally the holiday season, it is important to keep on top of some of the routine garden jobs, such as deadheading, weeding and watering. This could be a dry month in which case watering is essential.

Here is a list of jobs to do this month.

Flowers

• Summer prune wisteria after flowering by removing all the whippy side-shoots from the main branch framework to about five leaves from the main stem;
• Prune rambling roses after flowering;
• Trim lavender once the flowers have faded to maintain a compact, bushy shape, but avoid cutting into old wood;
• Deadhead roses, dahlias and perennials to encourage a constant display of flowers;
• Feed and regularly water plants in containers;
• Take cuttings from tender perennials such as pelargoniums, fuchsias and verbena;
• Collect ripening seed from plants such as sweet peas and love-in-a-mist that you wish to propagate;
• Plant autumn bulbs such as colchicums and nerines in pots and borders;
• Start planting early-flowering biennials such as wallflowers which were sown under cover earlier this year;

Fruit and Veg

• Lift and pot up new strawberry plants, and keep them well watered;
• Pick courgettes regularly so they don’t turn into marrows;
• Divide clumps of chives;
• Ensure that your fruit crops aren’t eaten by the birds by covering them with netting, ensuring the netting stands well clear of the fruit;

Greenhouse

• Water and feed tomatoes regularly, and remove lower leaves to allow the fruits to ripen;
• Be vigilant for signs of tomato and potato blight, removing affected plants immediately to prevent spread;
• Pinch out the tops of outdoor tomatoes, as further flowers are unlikely to produce fruits that have time to ripen;

Garden Maintenance

• Make sure birds have water in dry spells;
• Mow less frequently if the weather is hot and dry;
• Strim or mow areas of wildflower meadow, now that the plants have scattered their seeds;
• Clear weeds from cracks in paving and driveways before they get established;
• Now is the time to look at your borders and note any gaps or congested areas that you’ll want to rectify later on in the year;
• Order spring-flowering bulbs now as stock of the more popular varieties may not be available later in the season. You can start planting bulbs such as narcissi, alliums and crocus from September. Leave planting of tulips to later in November to help prevent problems such as tulip fire as soils are colder and fungal spores are less likely to spread;