In The Flower Garden
- Plant up hanging baskets, and leave them in a sheltered spot before hanging fully outside
- Plant out potted alliums in groups to add interest to flower beds
- Prune spring-flowering shrubs immediately after flowering, such as forsythia, ribes, chaenomeles, pyracantha and kerria
- Regularly water newly planted trees, roses, shrubs and hedging
- Finish planting out gladioli corms in groups or drifts in borders
- Spread shredded bark mulches around established shrubs and trees to conserve soil moisture and suppress weeds
- Water clumps of tulips and spring bulbs with liquid feed
In the Fruit and Vegetable Garden
- Tie in new shoots of blackberries and cane fruits to support wires
- Sow sweetcorn in deep pots, raising strong young plants to transplant into the garden in June
- Pinch off strawberry runners as soon as they develop, to stop them competing with developing fruit for nutrients
- Earth up soil around emerging potato shoots, which encourages higher yields
- Sow seeds of the following crops outside this week: radish, spring onions, coriander, parsley and chives
In The Greenhouse
- Put up shading to reflect scorching sunlight and keep temperatures down
- Open all vents on warm days, but close again in the evening
- Order plug plants and seedlings by post, and pot up as soon as they arrive
- Take leaf cuttings from houseplants, including African violets, begonias and Cape primrose
- Hang yellow sticky traps over plants to catch whitefly and flying pests
- Sow seeds of herbs, such as parsley, chives, coriander, garlic, basil, dill, fennel, mint, thyme, sage and lovage
And The Rest……
- Plant tender crops outside, covering them with cloches when night temperatures fall
- Dig out perennial weeds, such as couch grass and bindweed, from borders as soon as you spot them
- Wash dust off the foliage of houseplants, and apply leaf shine product to leafy plants
- Take cuttings from hydrangeas, fuchsias and penstemons, using the soft shoot tips
- Feed houseplants weekly from now until autumn