Flowers

• Cut lavender for drying, choosing newly opened flowers for the best fragrance, then hang up in a cool, dark place
• Give dahlias a liquid feed, keep them well watered and tie the shoots of tall varieties to sturdy stakes as they grow
• Hoe and hand-weed borders often, so weeds don’t have time to set seed
• Water and feed sweet peas regularly, pick the flowers every few days, and remove seed pods to prolong flowering
• Plant autumn bulbs, including nerines, colchicums and sternbergia, in pots and borders
• Feed, water and deadhead summer bedding regularly, in pots, borders and hanging baskets
• Cut back early summer perennials, such as hardy geraniums and delphiniums, after flowering for a second flush
• Take softwood cuttings from shrubs such as pyracantha, cotinus, hydrangeas and spiraea
• Feed and deadhead roses to keep them flowering strongly
• Keep watch for pests such as lily beetles, snails, aphids and vine weevils, and remove before they do too much harm
• Pick off flowers on coleus plants to maintain their colourful leaves
• Sow biennials, such as foxgloves, honesty, forget-me-nots and wallflowers, for blooms next year
• Cut back geraniums and other summer perennials

Fruit and veg

• Check crops such as runner beans regularly for aphids, and rub or wash them off straight away, before they multiply
• Water thirsty plants such as celery, beans, peas, courgettes, pumpkins and tomatoes regularly
• Make the last pickings of rhubarb and remove any flower spikes that start to form, cutting right down at the base
• Thin out heavy crops of apples, pears and plums, and remove any malformed, damaged or undersized fruits
• Prune plum trees in dry weather, when silver leaf fungal disease is less prevalent
• Sow a last batch of peas and dwarf beans before mid-July for an autumn crop
• Shorten side shoots growing from the framework of trained fruit trees, reducing to about five leaves from their base
• Water fruit trees and bushes, then lay a thick mulch of garden compost around their base to hold in moisture
• Cover brassicas with fine netting to prevent cabbage white butterflies laying their eggs on the leaves
• Peg down strawberry runners into pots of compost to root new plants
• Pick courgettes regularly so they don’t turn into marrows
• Sow small batches of fast-maturing salad leaves, rocket and radishes every few weeks for continuous pickings
• Cut down broad beans after harvesting, but leave the roots in the soil to release nitrogen as they decompose
• Protect brassicas from cabbage white butterflies with fine netting

Greenhouse

• Open greenhouse vents and doors on warm days to improve air circulation
• Continue pinching out any side shoots growing from the leaf joints of cordon tomatoes
• Take cuttings from fuchsias, coleus, pelargoniums, marguerites and other tender perennials
• Water tomatoes daily to prevent drying out, which can lead to split fruits and blossom end rot
• Order cold-stored potato tubers for planting in a greenhouse or cool porch next month, to harvest at Christmas
• Damp down the greenhouse floor each morning on hot days to increase humidity
• Be vigilant for aphids, vine weevils and other pests, and treat immediately so infestations don’t get out of hand
• Feed tomatoes, chillies and cucumbers with high-potash tomato fertiliser every week to encourage fruiting
• Install a reservoir watering system, so thirsty plants such as tomatoes don’t dry out
• Regularly sweep greenhouse staging and floors to reduce debris that can harbour pests and diseases
• Train the main stem of cucumbers up supports and pinch out sideshoots two leaves after a flower or fruit
• Damp down greenhouses on hot days to increase humidity

Garden maintenance

• Compost your kitchen and garden waste, chopping up and mixing the contents to speed up decomposition
• Top up bird baths, ponds and water features during hot weather
• Water new trees, shrubs and perennials planted in spring, to help them through dry spells
• Trim conifers and other garden hedges
• Scoop out any floating pondweed and algae from pools and water features
• Keep mowing lawns regularly, but raise the cutting height to leave the grass longer during dry weather
• Water hanging baskets and patio containers daily, in the morning or evening
• Deadhead bedding plants, sweet peas and annuals every few days to encourage more flowers
• Set up an automatic watering system to look after greenhouse crops, pots and baskets if you’re going on holiday
• Make your own liquid feed from comfrey plants
• Apply tomato feed fortnightly to crops in pots and growing bags, such as tomatoes and chillies, to encourage fruiting
• Trim lavender after flowering to keep plants compact and bushy, but avoid cutting into old wood
• Be on the lookout for developing pest problems and take action straight away
• Trim conifers to maintain an even shape

House plants

• Feed houseplants once a week with liquid fertiliser, continuing through to autumn
• Water your house plants more regularly as the temperatures warm and light levels increase, check the soil before watering.
• Repot any houseplants that have become top heavy or pot bound into larger containers
• Ensure house plants are not getting scorched by summer sunshine. Either move further from the window or choose house plants that will thrive in a sunny spot
• Some house plants, like snake plants, are particularly prone to collecting dust on their leaves. So be sure to give these a wipe regularly
• Put houseplants outside for the summer in a warm, sheltered spot to enjoy the fresh air and extra light
• Take leaf cuttings from houseplants, including African violets and begonias
• Check your house plants for pests like aphids, scale insects, thrips and mealybugs
• Take large-leaved houseplants into the garden and hose them down to clean off accumulated dust

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Flowers

• Lift and store tulip bulbs after flowering
• Give wisteria its summer prune, cutting all the long sideshoots back to 20cm, to promote flowering next spring
• Plant up a new tropical display with tender exotics, including bananas, ricinus, coleus, cannas and amaranthus
• Support tall-growing perennials, including hollyhocks and delphiniums, with a sturdy cane
• Continue planting summer bedding in pots and borders, and water regularly to help plants establish quickly
• Cut back spring-flowering perennials, such as pulmonaria, to encourage a fresh flush of foliage
• Tie in new stems of climbing and rambling roses horizontally to supports, to encourage more flowers
• Take cuttings from pinks and carnations, selecting non-flowering shoots, which should root readily
• Pinch out the tips of fuchsias and bedding plants to encourage bushier growth
• Give container displays and hanging baskets a liquid feed every few weeks to encourage flowering
• Fill any gaps in borders with pots of tall bulbs, such as fragrant lilies, to add instant colour
• Prune late-spring or early-summer shrubs after flowering, such as weigela and philadelphus, thinning out the older stems
• Add marginal plants, such as arum lilies and marsh marigolds, around the edges of your pond

Fruit and veg

• Plant out sweetcorn after hardening off, arranging plants in blocks to aid pollination
• Cover developing and ripening fruits with netting or fleece to protect them from birds
• Enjoy the last harvests of asparagus this month, then leave the ferny top-growth to grow up over the summer
• Spread mulch around thirsty crops such as beans and courgettes to hold in moisture around their roots
• Check for woolly aphids on fruit trees, and treat infestations with soap-based spray
• Water vegetables and fruit in containers regularly, especially during dry sunny weather
• Go on regular snail hunts, especially on damp evenings, to reduce populations
• Tie in new shoots of blackberries, raspberries, loganberries and other cane fruits
• Apply tomato feed regularly to fruiting veg crops, including tomatoes, courgettes, pumpkins and chillies
• Plant up an edible hanging basket with trailing tomatoes and herbs, and keep it well watered all summer
• Rejuvenate chives by cutting the clump down to the base, for a fresh crop of new leaves in just a few weeks
• Water beans and peas as they start to flower
• Pull out any raspberry canes sprouting up out of their dedicated area
• Take softwood cuttings of herbs such as marjoram and sage, plant in gritty compost and place on a sunny windowsill

Greenhouse

• Sow herbs in pots to grow on your kitchen windowsill, such as coriander, parsley and basil
• Plant out tender vegetables raised indoors, including beans, tomatoes, pumpkins, courgettes and sweetcorn
• Pinch out the side shoots of cordon tomatoes regularly
• Harden off hanging baskets and pots of summer bedding that have been growing in the greenhouse
• Sow biennials, including foxgloves, honesty, wallflowers and sweet rocket, in seed trays
• Water plants daily in warm weather, ideally in the evening or early morning, and avoid splashing the foliage
• Introduce biological controls to the greenhouse if you have pests such as whitefly or red spider mite
• Take softwood cuttings from hydrangeas and pelargoniums and stand the pots on a bright windowsill or in a greenhouse
• Increase greenhouse shading and ventilation to keep temperatures down on hot days
• Feed flowering and fruiting plants weekly with tomato feed
• Water greenhouse tomatoes regularly to prevent split fruits and blossom end rot
• Treat pots with vine weevil control if this pest has been a problem in the past, as larvae become active this month
• Water tomatoes regularly to void splitting and blossom end rot.

House plants

• Start feeding houseplants once a week with liquid fertiliser, continuing through to autumn
• Water your house plants more regularly as the temperatures warm and light levels increase, check the soil before watering.
• Repot any houseplants that have become top heavy or pot bound into larger containers
• Ensure house plants are not getting scorched by summer sunshine. Either move further from the window or choose house plants that will thrive in a sunny spot
• Some house plants, like snake plants, are particularly prone to collecting dust on their leaves. So be sure to give these a wipe regularly
• Put houseplants outside for the summer in a warm, sheltered spot to enjoy the fresh air and extra light
• Take leaf cuttings from houseplants, including African violets and begonias
• Check your house plants for pests like aphids, scale insects, thrips and mealybugs

Garden maintenance

• Empty, mix and refill compost bins to speed up decomposition
• Spray roses showing signs of disease, such as black spot, powdery mildew or rust
• Continue watering any new plantings until they’re well established
• Water newly laid turf several times a week, for at least the first month
• Trim fast-growing hedges, such as privet, every six weeks over the summer
• Put stakes in to support tall, large-flowered dahlias and tie in stems as they grow
• Prune spring-flowering shrubs, such as kerria, choisya, chaenomeles and ribes, after flowering
• Check hedges and shrubs for nesting birds before you start any trimming or pruning, so you don’t disturb them
• Remove any all-green shoots on variegated shrubs, cutting right back to their base
• Treat patio pots with vine weevil control if this pest has been a problem in the past, as larvae become active this month
• Dig out perennial weeds, such as couch grass and bindweed, as soon as you spot them
• Feed lawns with a liquid or granular lawn fertiliser
• Prune evergreen Clematis armandii if it has grown too large

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Flowers

• Prune spring shrubs, such as forsythia and chaenomeles, after flowering to keep them compact
• Plant out dahlia tubers and cannas after all risk of frost has passed
• Tie in the new shoots of climbing plants, including clematis, wisteria and honeysuckle, to their supports
• Continue sowing annuals, such as California poppies, into gaps in borders for colour from August into autumn
• Plant up hanging baskets, but keep in a greenhouse or porch for a few weeks to establish, before putting outside
• Apply liquid feed to tulips, daffodils and other spring bulbs to encourage a good display next year
• Plant out summer bedding and tender annuals, including sunflowers, cosmos and nasturtiums, after the last frost
• Remove faded spring bedding, such as wallflowers and forget-me-nots, and add to your compost bin
• Check lilies and fritillaries for scarlet lily beetles and their larvae, as they can rapidly strip plants of all foliage
• Harden off tender plants raised indoors, but bring them back in at night to protect from late frosts
• Pinch out the shoot tips of bedding plants and young annuals, such as fuchsias, to encourage bushier growth]
• Add interest to shady borders by planting a selection of hostas and ferns

Fruit and veg

• Earth up potatoes, covering the shoots with soil as they appear
• Sow sweetcorn in deep pots, so the young plants are ready to transplant into the garden in June
• Reduce snail populations by going on regular evening hunts, especially during damp weather
• Start sowing dwarf and climbing French beans, as well as runner beans, directly outdoors in warm weather
• Pick rhubarb stems as they develop, and water plants with liquid feed
• Start hardening off tender young plants, such as tomatoes and courgettes, ready for planting out in mild areas
• Sow batches of salad leaves and stir-fry crops every few weeks to provide continuous pickings
• Hang pheromone traps in apple and plum trees from May to July, to control pests
• Thin out seedlings, like carrots, from earlier sowings to ensure you get healthy, strong-growing plants
• Open fruit cage doors or lift some of the netting to ensure pollinating insects can get access to the flowers
• Remove all strawberry runners, so plants put their full energy into fruiting
• Keep plenty of fleece handy to protect young seedlings or fruit blossom, if late frosts are forecast

Greenhouse

• Water thirsty crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers and courgettes regularly as the weather starts to warm up
• Tie the stems of indoor tomatoes, cucumbers and aubergines to canes as they grow
• Plant heat-treated freesia corms in pots for fragrant flowers this summer
• Check plants regularly for pests, on shoot tips and the underside of leaves, and treat with biological controls if desired
• Put up shading to lower daytime temperatures and reduce scorching
• Open doors and vents on warm days, but close them in the evening as nights can still be cold
• Take cuttings of woody herbs such as hyssop, rosemary and thyme, and root in pots of gritty compost
• Keep pricking out seedlings as soon as they get their first true leaves, to avoid overcrowding and fungal diseases
• Start to harden off tender plants and bedding, ready for planting outside after the last frost
• Take cuttings from fuchsias, dahlias and pelargoniums
• Transplant tomatoes into growing bags or large pots, and tie their main stem to a cane or vertical wire for support

House plants

• Start feeding houseplants once a week with liquid fertiliser, continuing through to autumn
• Water your house plants more regularly as the temperatures warm, check the soil before watering
• Repot any houseplants that have become top heavy or pot bound into larger containers
• Ensure house plants are not getting scorched by bright sunshine. Either move further from the window or choose house plants that will thrive in a sunny spot
• Some house plants, like snake plants, are particularly prone to collecting dust on their leaves. So be sure to give these a wipe regularly
• Try and keep house plants away from temperature fluctuations caused by draughts or central heating
• Check your house plants for pests like aphids, scale insects, thrips and mealybugs

Garden maintenance

• Scoop out pondweed, blanketweed and algae from ponds and water features
• Put soft tops on the tips of all canes, in borders, veg plots, pots and greenhouses, to prevent injury to eyes
• Apply wood treatment to wooden garden furniture to condition it for summer
• Set up an extra compost bin or a worm bin, so you can recycle more green waste from your kitchen and garden
• Apply nitrogen-rich summer lawn feed to encourage leafy growth
• Mow grass pathways through wildflower areas so you can walk in among the flowers
• Hoe bare soil and hand-weed beds weekly, so weeds don’t have time to establish and set seed
• Put supports in place for clumps of perennials that are prone to flopping, such as top-heavy peonies or phlox
• Trim topiary regularly to promote bushy growth and keep it looking neat
• Sow grass seed or lay new turf by the end of this month, to create a new lawn or repair damaged patches
• Check shrubs for nests before you start any pruning, to avoid disturbing nesting birds
• Clean out and scrub bird feeders regularly to maintain hygiene
• Build sturdy wigwams and supports for climbers such as runner beans, sweet peas and morning glory
• Watch out for aphids on shoot tips and young foliage, and wipe them off or spray with a soap-based solution

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Flowers

• Sow hardy annuals, such as love-in-a-mist and pot marigolds, as well as native wildflowers, into gaps in borders
• Enjoy instant colour by planting primulas and polyanthus in pots and at the front of borders
• Protect the new shoots of hostas, delphiniums, lupins and other vulnerable plants from slugs and snails
• Continue deadheading spring bulbs and bedding, so they don’t waste energy setting seed
• Plant pineapple lily (eucomis) bulbs in pots for exotic-looking summer flowers
• Sow sweet peas at the base of supports, and transplant those sown in autumn into their final positions
• Spray the new leaves of disease-prone roses with fungicide to control mildew, rust and black spot
• Take basal cuttings from clumps of perennials, such as delphiniums, campanulas and lupins
• Prune hydrangeas, cutting back the old stems to a healthy shoot lower down
• Reinvigorate mature clumps of hardy perennials, such as hostas, asters and daylilies, by dividing and replanting
• Sow sunflowers in a sunny, open site, then water regularly and protect seedlings from slugs and snails
• Check for aphids on roses and rub them off before they develop into major infestations
• Add aquatic plants, such as waterlilies and irises, to garden ponds

Fruit and veg

• Plant second-early and maincrop potatoes
• Place cardboard collars around the stems of brassicas to deter cabbage root fly from laying their eggs
• Pinch out the tips of broad beans if they’re covered in aphids, or spray shoots with soap-based solution
• Sow outdoor varieties of tomatoes, chillies and courgettes in pots, so they’re ready to plant out in late May or June
• Divide clumps of hardy herbs, such as lemon balm and chives, then replant in pots, borders or a dedicated herb bed
• Sow small batches of rocket and other easy salad leaves
• Continue planting bare-root asparagus crowns and Jerusalem artichoke tubers
• Sow flowering companions in the veg plot, such as pot marigolds and borage
• Continue planting batches of garlic, shallots and onions every few weeks to extend the cropping period
• Sow herbs such as parsley, coriander, dill and chamomile in a sunny bed or container
• 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
• Sow sweet peas in deep pots and keep them frost-free in a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill
• Sow quick-growing microgreens, such as kale and mustard, for nutrient-rich pickings in just a few weeks
• 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 indoors until after the last frost
• Sow herbs in pots or trays, including basil, chives, parsley, fennel and coriander
• Thin out heavy fruit sets on peaches and nectarines, leaving fruits about 10cm apart
• Sow runner beans, French beans, cucumbers, courgettes, pumpkins and sweetcorn in pots
• Pinch out the shoot tips of fuchsias to develop bushier plants
• Attach guttering to the greenhouse and install a water butt, so you can make good use of April showers.
• Clean greenhouse glazing to let in as much light as possible
• Maintain good plant hygiene, picking off faded blooms and dead leaves before fungal diseases can take hold
• Open greenhouse doors and vents on warm days, or install automatic vent openers, to improve air circulation

House plants

• Start feeding houseplants once a week with liquid fertiliser, continuing through to autumn
• Water your house plants more regularly as the temperatures warm, check the soil before watering.
• Maximise the amount of light your house plants receive by moving to brighter spots, or choose house plants that will grow in shadier spots
• Some house plants, like snake plants, are particularly prone to collecting dust on their leaves. So be sure to give these a wipe regularly
• Try and keep house plants away from temperature fluctuations caused by draughts or central heating
• Check your house plants for pests like aphids, scale insects, thrips and mealybugs

Garden maintenance

• Put a bag of barley straw in ponds to discourage algae and keep the water clear all summer
• Lay turf or sow grass seed to create a new lawn or repair damaged patches
• Cut back tatty old fern fronds to make way for new ones that are starting to unfurl
• Keep cloches or large sheets of fleece handy to protect young plants if late frost is forecast
• Cut away unwanted suckers growing around the base of trees and shrubs
• Hoe between rows of veg seedlings regularly, as weeds grow rapidly at this time of year
• Remove moss and weeds in turf, and boost growth with a nitrogen-rich lawn feed
• Check that guttering on sheds and greenhouses is clear of debris, so that April showers will fill up water butts
• Add new aquatic plants to ponds and divide established plants that have outgrown their baskets
• Put pumps and fountains back into ponds, thoroughly cleaning the filters first
• Treat problem weeds, such as nettles and brambles
• Look out for clusters of aphids on shoot tips and young leaves, and wipe off before they multiply
• Keep putting out food for birds, as they’re busy raising their broods

Flowers

• Pick off any developing seedheads on daffodils and other spring bulbs, but leave the foliage to die back naturally
• Finish pruning roses early in the month
• Cut dogwoods, willows, cotinus and paulownia right down to the base to promote vigorous new growth
• Tidy up alpines as they start to flower, removing dead foliage, then mulch with grit to keep the foliage off damp soil
• Plant faded forced bulbs out in the garden for blooms next year
• Plant lilies and other summer-flowering bulbs in pots and borders.
• Feed ericaceous shrubs, such as rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and pieris, with an ericaceous fertiliser
• Tidy up borders, removing established and newly-germinating weeds.
• Mulch borders generously with garden compost
• Plant new roses and other shrubs and climbers
• Sow wildflower seeds in trays or modules, to produce plants for your own mini-meadow
• Check tender new shoots for aphids, and remove before infestations get out of hand
• Continue deadheading spring flowers and any remaining winter bedding so they don’t set seed

Fruit and veg

• Avoid carrot root fly by sowing an early crop of carrots under cloches or fleece
• Sow tomatoes, chillies, sweet peppers and aubergines in pots indoors
• Plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers, at a depth of 10-15cm, spaced about 30cm apart
• Buy young herbs to plant in containers near your back door, for handy pickings
• Plant onion and shallot sets, spacing them 10-15cm apart
• Make the first outdoor sowings of hardy veg, such as spinach, covering with cloches or fleece
• Plant early potatoes in trenches on the veg plot, or in large tubs if space is limited.
• Sow parsnips as soon as the soil starts to warm up, as they’re slow to germinate and need a long growing season
• Plant a fig tree in a large container to restrict its roots, which encourages fruiting and limits its overall size
• Feed cabbages and other brassicas with nitrogen-rich fertiliser, such as pelleted chicken manure
• Plant bare-root asparagus crowns in well-drained soil or raised beds, in an open, sunny spot
• Start hoeing veg beds as soon as the weather starts to warm up, as weeds will germinate quickly
• Plant strawberries in a hanging basket to keep the fruits away from slugs
• Give blackcurrant bushes a high-nitrogen feed

House plants

• Water your house plants more regularly as the temperatures warm, check the soil before watering.
• Maximise the amount of light your house plants receive by moving to brighter spots, or choose house plants that will grow in shadier spots
• Some house plants, like snake plants, are particularly prone to collecting dust on their leaves. So be sure to give these a wipe regularly
• Try and keep house plants away from temperature fluctuations caused by draughts or central heating
• Check your house plants for pests like aphids, scale insect, thrips and mealybugs

Greenhouse

• Get crops off to a good start indoors to transplant into the garden later, such as celeriac, celery, lettuces and parsley
• Take down bubble insulation in the greenhouse once temperatures start to rise, to let in more light
• Sow a selection of vibrant annual climbers, such as Spanish flag (Ipomoea lobata) and black-eyed Susan (Thunbergia alata ‘Arizona Glow’)
• Buy good value young bedding plants for growing on to a larger size under glass, or sow your own in a heated propagator
• Sow dwarf French beans in a large pot for an early indoor crop in June
• Plant prepared freesia bulbs in pots of rich, loam-based compost, for fragrant flowers indoors this summer
• Pot up overwintering cannas into fresh compost, water in, then place in a warm spot to spur them into growth
• Sow sweet peas in deep pots and keep them frost-free in a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill
• Take cuttings from dahlia tubers planted last month to raise new plants
• Protect greenhouse sowings of peas, mangetouts and sweet peas from hungry mice
• Be vigilant for greenhouse and houseplant pests, such as mealy bugs, and treat straight away
• Open greenhouse vents on sunny days to prevent humidity building up.
• Take basal cuttings from perennials, such as delphiniums and lupins, to root in a pot indoors

Garden maintenance

• Build or buy a new compost bin, ready to recycle the coming season’s garden waste
• Dig out a new pond, or install a water feature, to attract more wildlife
• Put slug barrier products around the new shoots of hostas and other susceptible perennials.
• Replant pots of bulbs from indoors into borders, once the display is over, then water in well and apply liquid feed
• 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
• Fork up emerging shoots of perennial weeds, such as ground elder, removing every bit of root
• Place bug boxes or bundles of hollow stems in sheltered corners, where insects can lay their eggs.
• Keep putting out food for garden birds, as the breeding season gets underway
• Chop down winter-grown green manure and dig into the soil, to get the veg plot ready for sowing
• Cut back winter-flowering jasmine to keep it within bounds and encourage flowers next year

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Flowers

• Cut down deciduous ornamental grasses left standing over winter, before fresh shoots appear
• Divide large clumps of snowdrops and winter aconites after flowering 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
• Transplant deciduous shrubs growing in the wrong place, while they are dormant
• Pot up containers with hardy spring bedding, such as primroses, wallflowers and forget-me-nots
• Prune winter-blooming shrubs such as mahonia, winter jasmine and heathers, once they’ve finished flowering
• Cut back wisteria side shoots to three buds from the base, to encourage abundant flowers in spring
• Prune buddleja and elder to the base to keep these vigorous shrubs to a reasonable size
• Trim back ivy, Virginia creeper and other climbers if they have outgrown their space, before birds start nesting
• Cut away all the old foliage from epimediums with shears, before the spring flowers start to develop
• Sprinkle slow-release fertiliser around the base of roses and other flowering shrubs

Fruit and veg

• Finish winter-pruning fruit trees and soft fruits, including apples, autumn raspberries and blackcurrants
• Chit first-early potato tubers, such as ‘Foremost’, by standing them in trays in a light, frost-free place
• Prepare veg beds for sowing by weeding thoroughly, then cover with a thick layer of garden compost
• Feed fruit trees and bushes by sprinkling sulphate of potash fertiliser around the base to encourage fruiting
• Sow mustard and cress in a small seed tray on a warm windowsill for pickings in just a few weeks
• Put cloches or fleece over strawberry plants to start them into growth and encourage an early crop
• Hunt out overwintering snails huddled in empty pots and hidden corners, to reduce populations.
• Plant rhubarb into enriched soil, or lift and divide established clumps
• Check if old seed packets are worth keeping by sowing a few seeds on damp kitchen paper, to see if they germinate
• Start planning for your seed sowing year
• Protect the blossom of outdoor peaches, nectarines and apricots with fleece, if frost is forecast
• Plant bare-root fruit bushes, trees and canes, as long as the ground isn’t frozen
• Inspect Mediterranean herbs for metallic green rosemary beetles if they start to look nibbled and tatty

Greenhouse

• Sow sweet peas in deep pots and keep them frost-free in a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill
• Pot on and pinch out autumn-sown sweet peas to encourage side shoots to form
• Sow summer bedding and tender annuals, including cosmos, lobelia, dahlias, nasturtiums and snapdragons
• 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
• Monitor greenhouse temperatures with a max-min thermometer to ensure heaters are working efficiently
• Start planting summer bulbs in pots indoors, including liatris, begonias, gloxinias, lilies, eucomis and agapanthus
• Cut off hippeastrum (amaryllis) flowerheads once they fade, but leave the stalk to die down naturally
• Hand-pollinate the blossom of peaches and nectarines in the greenhouse using a soft paintbrush
• Cut back overwintered fuchsias and increase the frequency of watering to spur them into growth
• Remove any faded or yellowing leaves from overwintering plants to prevent fungal diseases
• Wash greenhouse glazing inside and out to let in as much light as possible

House plants

• Reduce watering for almost all house plants apart from Christmas cactus and poinsettia which will need watering whenever soil feels dry
• Maximise the amount of light your house plants receive in darker months by moving to brighter spots, or choose house plants that will grow in shadier spots
• Some house plants, like snake plants, are particularly prone to collecting dust on their leaves. So be sure to give these a wipe regularly
• Try and keep house plants away from temperature fluctuations caused by draughts or central heating
• Check your house plants for pests like aphids, scale insect, thrips and mealybugs
• Install a nest box with a camera, so you can watch birds raising their broods in spring
• If snow falls, knock it off evergreen shrubs, hedges and conifers to prevent branches snapping under the weight
• Buy or make a cold frame to use when hardening off young plants in spring
• Check fleece or other insulation is still in place around pots and borderline-tender plants
• Firm back down any plants that have been lifted by frost or loosened by wind-rock
• Make fat ball feeders and hang them among roses to attract blue tits, which will also forage for overwintering pests
• Improve the soil by spreading garden compost or well-rotted manure over beds and forking it
• Spread a layer of well-rotted manure around roses and shrubs
• Sort out and clean up canes, plant supports and cloches, ready for use in spring
• Prune hybrid tea and floribunda roses, before growth restarts
• Clear away old plant debris from pond margins and scoop out any leaves that have fallen into the water
• Remove pond netting installed in autumn to catch falling leaves
• Clean and service mowers and garden power tools, so they’re in good order for spring
• Coppice hazel, cutting to the base, to encourage a flush of new stems that you can use for plant supports in a few years

Source: https://www.gardenersworld.com/what-to-do-now-february/
(c) Immediate Media.

Flowers

• Plant bare-root roses, shrubs, hedging and ornamental trees, as long as the ground isn’t frozen
• Take root cuttings of fleshy-rooted perennials such as oriental poppies, acanthus and verbascums
• Establish new colonies of snowdrops and hellebores by buying plants in flower, so you can choose the prettiest blooms
• Clear away soggy, collapsed stems of perennials and compost them
• Take hardwood cuttings from deciduous shrubs, such as forsythia, willow and viburnum
• Remove and bin hellebore foliage marked with black blotches, to limit the spread of leaf spot disease
• Press mistletoe berries into the bark of apple trees to establish your own mistletoe plants
• Check that small alpines don’t become smothered by fallen leaves and other wind-blown debris
• Deadhead winter pansies and other bedding regularly, and remove any foliage affected by downy mildew
• Move deciduous shrubs that are in the wrong place to more suitable sites
• Check for rot on stored bulbs and tubers, and ensure dahlia and canna tubers haven’t totally dried out
• Continue pruning climbing roses, while they are dormant

Fruit and veg

• Winter-prune apple and pear trees to remove any dead, damaged, congested and diseased branches
• Sort out your seeds, throwing away empty or out-of-date packets and noting down any to buy for the coming season
• Plan this year’s crop rotation to ensure you grow each type of crop in a different bed to previous years
• Prune gooseberries and redcurrants, cutting sideshoots back to three buds from their base
• Clear old crops and weeds from the veg plot, then dig over the soil, mixing in compost as you go
• Regularly inspect stored crops, discarding any showing signs of rot or deterioration
• Plant bare-root fruit trees and bushes into enriched soil, as long as the ground isn’t frozen
• Ensure netting is in place over brassicas, such as kale, Brussels sprouts and cabbages, to protect from pigeons
• Cover rhubarb plants with a bucket or terracotta pot to force an early crop of tender long stems
• Feed spring cabbages with high-nitrogen feed to encourage leafy growth
• Prune blackcurrants, if you haven’t done so already, removing about a quarter of the old stems
• Order seed potatoes, onions, shallots and garlic bulbs for planting in spring

Greenhouse

• Sow winter salads in a greenhouse, conservatory or on a sunny windowsill, for harvests within a few weeks
• Tidy up the greenhouse, getting rid of any broken pots, old compost or debris that could hide unwanted visitors
• Move potted strawberry plants under cover to encourage early fruiting
• Check overwintering plants regularly for aphids, mealy bugs and other pests, and take action where necessary
• Bring potted peaches into the greenhouse to avoid leaf curl disease
• Plant hippeastrum (amaryllis) in pots and place on a warm windowsill
• Keep the greenhouse frost-free by installing a thermostatically-controlled electric fan heater
• Bring potted camellias into an unheated porch or greenhouse to encourage early flowering
• Take root cuttings of perennials such as phlox and Japanese anemones, and plant in free-draining compost
• Start sowing seeds of hardy annuals, such as cornflowers, cerinthe and ammi, in modular trays for early flowers
• Prepare your greenhouse for spring by improving the ventilation, shading and heating
• Ventilate the greenhouse on sunny days to prevent humidity building up

House plants

• Give houseplants extra humidity to combat the drying effects of central heating
• Repot moth orchids after flowering if they look like they’re about to burst out of their pot
• Water house plants less frequently and move them off particularly cold windowsills at night.
• Plant hippeastrum (amaryllis) bulbs in pots for spectacular flowers over the festive season
• Repot any house plants that have become top heavy or pot bound into larger containers
• Move houseplants onto a sunny windowsill over the winter, to get as much light as possible during the shorter days, or choose indoor plants for low light
• Some house plants, like snake plants, are particularly prone to collecting dust on their leaves. So be sure to give these a wipe regularly
• Take leaf cuttings from house plants, including African violets and begonias
• Take leaf cuttings from succulents, such as echeverias, crassula and sedums
• Check your house plants for pests like aphids, scale insects, thrips and mealybugs
• Put large-leaved house plants into the bath or shower and hose them down to clean off accumulated dust
• Sow cacti seeds into moist, loam-based compost and place in a propagator or on a warm windowsill
• For more house plant advice and inspiration visit our Growing and caring for house plants page.

Source: https://www.gardenersworld.com/what-to-do-now-january/
(c) Immediate Media.