If you are thinking about lilies for a dazzling summer display now is the time to plant out lily bulbs in pots. Plan other summer flowering bulbs such as gladioli and ranunculi.
Lift and divide perennial plants such as hostas and primroses.
Feed shrubs, hedges, trees and roses.
Dead head daffodils and tulips that have finished flowering and leave the foliage to die back naturally.
If you’re into your vegetables, now is the time to dig compost, well-rotted manure or green waste into your beds.
Sow second early chitted potatoes. You can also direct sow into well-prepared seed beds parsnips, cabbages, radishes, carrots, broad beans and more. Have a look at the Royal Horticultural Society website for more information.
For a comprehensive list of what to sow have a look at this website.
If you have a greenhouse there are several things you can do now. Start swing tomatoes, and half-hardy annual seeds. Once seedlings have developed their first true leaves, prick them out into pots for growing on.
Repair your lawn by sowing seeds on bare patches. Apply a high nitrogen fertiliser and aerate any compacted areas with a garden fork. Mow the lawn as required but don’t lower the blades to their lowest setting until the end of May.
General jobs in the garden can include cleaning and weeding paths and patios, keeping on top of the weeding, checking for pests and diseases, top up bird baths and bird feeders and top up raised beds with fresh compost and topsoil.
Getting in some hard work now will mean that you can sit back and really enjoy your garden when the summer weather finally arrives!
