JOBS AHEAD
Spend some time walking around your garden and visualise how you would like it to look for the year ahead. It is a good idea to take regular photographs of your garden so you can look back on them and remember how your garden looked during previous seasons, to decide what worked well, and what could be improved.
If we gat late snowfall, shake the branches of conifers and evergreen shrubs to get rid of any excess snow, and firm down any plant roots that may have been pulled out of the ground by frost or strong winds.
Improve the quality of the soil by spreading well-rotted manure around plant beds and borders.
Faded flowers can be removed from winter pansies to encourage growth of fresh, vibrant flowers.
Jasmine and mahonia can be pruned back in late February when they have finished flowering to promote new growth for the following season.
Divide congested root clumps of herbaceous perennials to maintain the health of the plant and prevent overcrowding, whilst creating new plants for free.
It is important to take time to plan for crop rotation in the veg beds as this will prevent pests and diseases forming within the soil.
Prepare veg beds for the coming season by removing any weeds and spreading a layer of well-rotted compost, ensuring that the ground is not frozen before doing so. This is also a great opportunity to harvest any overwintering crops, creating space for new ones.
If you have early potatoes, you can chit them by placing them in an egg tray and leaving them on your windowsill where they will receive plenty of light and protection from frost. After around six weeks they can be planted out in the veg bed, preferably towards the end of March.
For those who enjoy planting strawberries, this is the perfect time to remove any dead growth from the previous season as new growth should be starting to show.
Autumn-fruiting raspberry canes can be cut to the ground to stimulate fresh growth in the autumn.
If you have not planted any bare-root fruit plants yet, such as strawberries and white currants, rest assured that it is not too late to plant them now to yield growth in the coming season.
Summer annuals such as cosmos and lobelias can be sown in March. It is a good tip to organise your seed packets in advance of suggested sowing dates. Always check the back of the seed packet for guidance, and add on 3-4 weeks for sowing in Scotland.
To prevent build-up of fungus and disease, remove any yellow or faded leaves from plants over-wintered in the greenhouse.
Tender crops such as tomatoes or chillies, can be sown now. For best results keep them under glass, in a heated propagator, or on a windowsill with plenty of access to sunlight.