In The Flower Garden

• Prune out old stems of elder (Sambucus) to promote new growth from the base
• Cut back last year’s Buddleia stems to ground level
• Hard prune trees that respond to pollarding, such as willows, the foxglove tree (Paulownia) and Eucalyptus gunnii, to promote new growth
• Lift and divide large clumps of hosta
• Trim winter-flowering jasmine and tie in new shoots to supports
• Sprinkle granular fertiliser around clumps of spring bulbs
• Finish pruning roses as soon as possible
• Cut down all previous year’s growth on Clematis tangutica. New shoots will develop from the base, which will flower later in summer
• Cut back old leaves of Epimedium

In The Fruit and Vegetable Garden

• Repair netting on fruit cages
• Continue forcing sea kale and chicory
• Buy herbs to plant up in containers that you can position near the house
• Plant out shallots
• Sow a green manure crop, such as crimson clover, fenugreek or field lupins, which can be dug into the soil later in the season to improve it
• Sow seeds of the following crops outside or under cloches: carrots, beetroot, broad beans, salad onions, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, spinach, leeks, lettuce, rocket, coriander, mixed salad or stir fry leaves, radish, turnip, peas, lettuce and Swiss chard
• Plant onion sets in modular trays under cover for planting out later

In The Greenhouse

• Order seedlings and bedding plants from mail-order suppliers
• Sow dwarf French beans in a large pot for an early crop in June
• Plant lily bulbs in pots either to use in the border or to add elegance to a patio display
• Repot established agapanthus into slightly larger containers using a loam-based compost
• Plant begonia and gloxinia tubers in pots
• Take cuttings from dahlias planted last month to raise new plants

Generally Around The Garden

• Mow lawns then trim new edges with a half-moon edging tool
• Dig compost into borders to improve water retention
• Add copper rings to pots to protect plants from slugs and snails
• Hoe bare areas of soil on dry days to remove weed seedlings
• Replenish gravel and stone mulches on alpine gardens and scree beds
• Buy summer-flowering bulbs to plant in spring, such as gladioli, tigridia, galtonia, eucomis, anemone, lily and acidanthera

Add Copper rings round pots as a barrier to slugs and snails!