GENERAL

All beds and borders can be tidied up. Rake off any leaves or other debris and prick over the beds and borders where permanent plantings of trees, shrubs and perennials are established. After this apply a generous mulch of well rotted compost or other organic matter to suppress weeds and conserve moisture.

Clean all hard surfaces such as paving and concrete to get rid of winter dirt and algae. Either scrub with a stiff broom or use a power washer.

Prepare for slug attacks by distributing slug pellets close to vulnerable plants or by the use of slug traps. It is still too cold to use biological controls.

LAWN

The first cut of the season is likely to be necessary early in the month. It is important to set the mower blades high for the first cut. No lower than 2.5cm. The blades can be gradually lowered with each successive mowing.

This is a good time to establish a lawn from either turf or seed.

Lightly scarify the lawn to remove any over-winter accumulation of thatch. This is dead moss and debris tangled amongst the grass.

Aerate the turf with a hollow tined fork or aerator. Afterwards brush sharp sand into the holes.

Apply a spring weed and feed.

POND

Remove the pool heater and replace the pump.

Bog garden plants can be planted now. These are the ones that grow in damp soil rather than the margins of the pond.

FLOWERS

Prune roses and make the final pruning of other deciduous shrubs and trees.

Complete the planting of any bare-rooted trees, shrubs and hardy herbaceous perennials.

Plant lilies out in the garden as well as in pots or containers.

Sow hardy annuals like cornflower, calendula and larkspur when weather and soil conditions permit.

VEGETABLES

Sow maincrop carrots, peas and onions, along with salad crops such as lettuce, radish and spring onions.

Sow herbs like parsley, lovage and summer savory.

Early potatoes can be planted towards the end of the month.

Plant onion sets. Use a globe-shaped variety on heavy soils, a flat bulbed variety in lighter conditions.

FRUIT

Spray all fruit trees and bushes with a combined systemic insecticide and fungicide as soon as the first leaves emerge. This helps to protect against common problems such as mildew and greenfly.

GREENHOUSE

Start dahlias into growth to prepare for taking cuttings. Root cuttings of chrysanthemums, fuchsias and geraniums already started into growth.

Continue with sowing bedding plant seeds like French and African marigolds, tagetes, asters, nemesia and mesembryanthemum.

Pot up greenhouse tomatoes, peppers, aubergines and cucumbers so that they produce a good root system.

All well established pot plants like ferns, rubber plants and palms should be re-potted now.