JOBS AHEAD
In the Garden
The stems of deciduous ornamental grasses, such as Miscanthus, can be cut back to ground level, being careful not to damage any new, green growth sprouting at the base.
Promote vigorous new growth on Cornus by cutting them down to the base from March.
Firm down any plant roots that have been heaved out of the ground by frost or winter winds.
Soil can be improved by spreading a 5cm (2in) layer of well-rotted manure or garden compost around beds and borders.
Wisteria side shoots can be cut back to just three buds from the main stem to encourage flowering. It is also a good time to prune floribunda and hybrid tea roses.
Remove any leaves with brown spots on hellebores to prevent the spread of leaf spot.
If you want to move or create more snowdrop clumps, lift and divide them while still 'in the green’. Dig the whole clump out and separate it gently. Keep small groups of snowdrop bulbs together in clumps of 3-5 when replanting.
Harvest the last of your overwintering crops and prepare your beds for new sowings by removing weeds and adding a layer of compost.
Plant garlic in the ground before the end of February in individual cloves, pointed-end up, so that the tip is just covered by the soil.
By the end of March, the soil should be warm enough to plant out onion sets but you can get them started inside from early to mid-February.
Begin chitting first early potatoes on your windowsill in egg boxes.
Mulch around the base of fruit trees with well-rotted manure or garden compost, taking care not to mound mulch up around the trunk.
Prune gooseberries and blackcurrant bushes to maintain an open, productive framework.
It is not too late to plant bare-root fruit bushes, trees or canes into prepared soil, just make sure the ground is not frozen.
Sweet peas can be sown in pots in the greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill. If you made autumn sowings, encourage side shoots to form by pinching out the tops.
Remove any yellowing or faded leaves from overwintering plants to prevent fungal disease build-up.
Check the back of seed packets for summer annuals which can be sown from March onwards, including Nasturtium, Cosmos, Antirrhinum, and Lobelia.