Protect the blossom on peaches and nectarines. Prune autumn fruiting raspberries, cutting all stems down to ground level. Sow broad beans directly in the garden, or in pots. Chit potatoes, prepare vegetable beds for later sowings. Start sowing early vegetable seeds under cover (eg broad beans, pea, spinach, cabbages). Mulch around the base of fruit trees.
Complete pruning of climbing and bush roses before new growth becomes too strong. Cut back ornamental grasses and other perennials left for winter interest. Hardy annuals can be sewn in seed trays, ready for adding more colour to the garden in the Summer.
Prune late summer flowering shrubs such as buddleia, lavatera, hardy fuschias and group three clematis (those that flowered in the late summer and autumn).
Winter flowering jasmine can be pruned after it has finished flowering. Take out any dead or damaged wood, then tie in any stems needed to extend the framework, then shorten side shoots to 5cm from main framework.
To produce early shoots from dahlias for cuttings in March, start their tubers into to growth under cover now. Finish pruning wisterias. Start to water fuchsias and pelargoniums that are kept under cover. Turf can be laid this month, if the ground isn’t too wet or frozen, and lawns can be mowed if necessary, but make sure the machine is set on a high cut
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