23rd April, 2010 - 1:47pm
- Weeds are springing up everywhere so don’t delay dealing with them
- Sow runner beans, dwarf beans and other tender vegetables in the greenhouse
- Pot on seedlings as soon as you can handle them
- If you haven’t started yet, now is the time to give the lawn its first cut
- Start to harden off plants in the greenhouse and coldframe – move them outdoors in fine weather and back under cover at night for about 6 days
30th March, 2010 - 3:30pm
- Stake your herbaceous borders now
- Trim deciduous ornamental grasses to 10cm above the ground and rake out the dead foliage
- Good Friday is the traditional day for planting your early potatoes
- Give roses their final pruning
- Clean out waterbutts and put a couple of pieces of lump charcoal in the butt to keep the water sweet
20th March, 2010 - 10:09am
- Dig in green manures during good weather in preparation for planting out in a few weeks time
- If you need to move evergreen plants such as camellias or box, now is a good time to do it
- Tidy mint plants and dress with compost to encourage strong new shoots
26th February, 2010 - 3:36pm
- In fine weather get on with clearing the borders and spread home made compost.
- Keep an eye out for self-sown seedlings of favourite plants, dig them up carefully and pot them up to grow on to plant elsewhere in the garden or give away as presents.
- When it isn’t frosty, mulch around the base of fruit trees with a good layer of compost or well-rotted manure.
- Cut or buy hazel and birch pea sticks.
25th January, 2010 - 2:20pm
- If you haven’t ordered your seed potatoes yet, delay no longer.
- Now is a good time to sharpen up the edges of flower beds and lawns.
- Give the greenhouse a thorough clean in preparation for seed sowing.
- Cover rhubarb crowns with straw or dry leaves and a forcer or old bucket to encourage early shoots.
- Cold weather can lift the soil around newly planted trees and shrubs – once the ground has thawed heel them in firmly.
