Hints & Tips

January

Vegetables	Lift & frost rhubarb crowns for forcing.

	When digging apply lime to the surface at 3oz per square yard ( especially if you grew brassicas the year before).
	Box up seed potatoes with the rose end uppermost.
	In mild areas sow broad beans.

Fruit	Spray trees with tar oil winter wash.
	If pruning is necessary cut out dead wood in all types of fruit trees.
	Remove big buds on blackcurrants.
	Check tree ties & plant supports for wear.

Flowers	Tidy borders & fork lightly between perennials.
	Plant lilies, antirrhinums etc.
	Violas in cold frames need good ventilation.

Shrubs	Spray roses and surrounding soil with winter wash.
	Mulch Azaleas, Rhododendrons etc.
	Check your frost protection on new or non hardy shrubs.

Lawns	Brush off dead leaves & twigs.
	Rake mossy & weedy areas.
	Service your mower.
	Deter children & pets from using the lawn when its wet.

Greenhouse	Sow leeks, onions, carrots, lettuce.
	Sow annuals for early flowering in pots.
	Clean & fumigate staging & pots.
	Take cuttings of late chrysanthemums.

Houseplants	Keep plants on the dry side and in the best possible light.
	Bring in winter jasmine , daphnia, American current etc. to flower inside.
	Do not rush bulbs into light wait until the leaves and flowers can be seen.

February

General

Oil all moving machinery parts like hedge cutters, wheelbarrow & lawn mower.

Vegetables
Plant onion sets & shallots.

Sow seeds for early carrots, parsley & parsnips.

Plant out Autumn sown lettuce.

Draw up earth to the hearts of young spring cabbage.

Check potato sets for any signs of rotting. remove diseased tubers.

Fruit
Spray peaches against peach leaf curl with lime sulphur.

Prune outdoor vines, blackcurrants, gooseberries and raspberries. Use your prunings as cuttings.

Lime wash trunks of fruit trees to reduce lichen & moss.

Check all tree stakes & ties.

Flowers
Plant anemone, ranunculis, paeonies, gladiolus, tiger lilies in groups in open borders. Plant primroses.

Divide clumps of perennials that are too large.

Prepare ground for sweet pea trench.

Shrubs
Plant evergreens such as ivies, laurels etc.

Top dress older shrubs with compost or mulch.

Cut back the flowers on winter flowering shrubs (if the flowers have died).

Lawns
Fork, brush & aerate frequently. Fill aerated holes with sharp sand.

Prepare ground for new lawns by frequently raking to produce a fine tilth.

Repair lawn edges.

Dress the whole of the lawn with a sprinkling of sharp sand.

Greenhouse
Take cuttings of early chrysanthemums.

Sow tomatoes in heated greenhouse.

Keep seedlings up to the light to produce short healthy plants.

Sow sweet peas.

Ventilate greenhouse frequently.

Houseplants
Remove withered or dead leaves.

As new growth appears increase water supply (don't over do it).

Take cuttings of Regal Pelargoniums

March

General	Dig in compost & Fertiliser.
	Repair & tidy paths, patios & decking.
	Weed borders.

Vegetables	Sow under cloches: beetroot, broad beans, Brussels sprouts, early carrots, lettuce, radish, spring onions, spinach turnips, parsnips, early peas and salad leaves.
	Sow indoors: cauliflowers, celery, leeks, onions, summer cabbage and early tomatoes for the greenhouse.
	Plant out autumn sown onions.
	Hoe frequently for weed control & soil aeration.
	Clean & weed asparagus bed.
	Add manure or fertiliser in final soil preparation.

Fruit	Finish all pruning & planting.
	Feed & mulch young trees & cane fruits.
	Plant strawberry runners.
	If you have one, use your net for frost protection on early blooms on fruit trees.

Flowers	Plant container grown rockery , herbaceous plants, trees & shrubs.
	Begin sowing hardy annuals.
	Plant summer flowering bulbs like Gladiolus
	Use beer traps or sharp grit around plants for slug control. If you prefer you could use slug pellets, but keep away from pets, children etc.
	Trim winter heathers once they have finished flowering.
	Prune winter jasmine as soon as flowers fade.
	Its better to have a pond to fill your garden with a crack team of slug exterminators called frogs. Alternatively you could walk around the garden after dark with night vision goggles and a tub of salt. Just an idea.

Shrubs	Standard & Climbing roses can be planted out.
	Plant clematis late in the month.
	Prune ivies.
	Prune roses finally towards the end of the month and deciduous shrubs that flower on this years wood e.g. buddleia and caryopteris.
	Spray roses for black spot.

Lawns	Rake off moss & weeds. Spike if possible & apply a lawn fertiliser.
	Start cutting on the mowers highest setting.
	New lawns can be sown at the end of the month.
	Keep off when wet.

Greenhouse	Most seeds can be sown now in unheated greenhouses.
	Potted plants can be potted on if they need it.
	Start feeding your container & pot plants.
	Take cuttings of coleus & fuchsia.

Houseplants

Feed & water more regularly but don't over do it.

If you haven't already done so...	Plant onions & shallots.
	Oil all moving machinery parts like hedge cutters, wheelbarrow & lawn mower.
	Cut back the flowers on winter flowering shrubs (if the flowers have died).
	Sow runner & French beans & tomatoes.

April

General

Net fruit trees & shrubs against bird damage.

Vegetables	Sow onions, beet & winter cabbage.
	Sow your first carrots.
	Start successional sowing of peas, beans, lettuce & radish.
	Finish planting of late potatoes and earth up earlies.
	At the end of the month plant cauliflowers.

Fruit	Ventilate strawberries under cloches & add straw manure.
	Spray peaches with water to help fruit set.
	Cut back newly planted raspberries.
		Keep an eye out for pests.
		You can use insecticides and fungicides now

Flowers	Sow hardy annuals in situ.
	Remove the dead heads of daffs & other spring flowers.
	Divide & replant perennials.
	Hoe weeds regularly.
	Plant out violas, paeonies, hollyhocks etc.
	Sow polyanthus & wallflowers for next spring.

Shrubs	Plant coniferous & evergreen trees & shrubs & bamboos.
	Prune flowered shrubs like forsythia & evergreens.
	Finish pruning roses.
	Trim winter flowering heathers.
	Stop side shoots on fuchsias to produce bushy plants.

Lawns	Mow lawns, weed & feed.
	Trim edges.
	Sow grass seed on bare patches after fine raking.
	Apply chemical weed killers or pull out weeds manually if you prefer.

Greenhouse	Sow seeds of outdoor tomatoes, melon & marrows.
	Remove flower heads of winter flowering plants like azaleas.
	Top dress pots, tubs & hanging baskets.
	Increase ventilation and if needed start to apply shading liquid.

House plants	Increase watering & light.
	Watch for pests & spray accordingly.
	Re-pot ferns & aspidistras (if needed).
	Top up pots & containers with fresh compost.