After a bitterly cold march we finaly seemed to have turned the corner and Spring has begun to make herself a little more obvious. Moisture has been in short supply through the early part of the year to add to the dry months of December and January, and this is something that we gardeners are going to have to keep very aware of through the coming months.

Temperatures have also been very down for this time of the year, and despit there having some rain for all parts of the country (some of it very heavy) in the last fortnight up to the beginning of April, we should not be fooled into planting cut tender plants for some time yet. My suspicion is that we could easily be supprised by some further cold weather and is caught out by this it can be expensive and soul destroying!

The key to these spring days is to use them wisely. The moment the sun comes out and the drying wind gets to work on the soil it is time for you to get to work on the ground and prepare or the planting and sowing season.

Fork up the top few centimetres of a border to allow some atmospheric nitrogen in to the roots of herbaceous plants or get the landscape rake on to the vegitable patch and get ready to sow some seeds.

Here are some important tasks to do this time of the year. Some of you may have done already but its not too late to catch up with them now.

Plant onion sets, garlic, shallots. Sow broad beans and peas outside as well as parsnips, perpetual spinach, chard. Plant first and second early potatoes. Plant out summer cabbage. Sow lettuce and other salad greens in the glasshouse or on the kitchen wiindow sill. 

Continue planting soft fruit bushes and raspbery canes. 

Fork up between plants and mulch well rotted horse manure only after rain. (Never mulch on to dry soil). Plant out any hardy herbaceous perennials. Sow half hardy annuals such as sweet peas and other tender annual cut flowers.

Rake out any moss on dry days and start aerating with a fork. After a few days sprinkle some sand over the whole lawn where you have forked up. 

Repot anything that looks like it might outgrow its pot this season such as orchids and jasmine. Water well after repotting.

Have a spring clean. Clear out sediments of leaves and tidy up any pond plants but be awaresch as wildlife such as frogs and toads which will be spawning.

Many thanks to www.dancingbee.co.uk