The weather forecast for the coming weekend in my part of the world looks stunning, so a great opportunity to be catching up on garden jobs whilst also getting some Vitamin D on board. Here's a few suggestions for this month's to-do list.
Shrubs and flowering plants
Finish pruning the roses; prune bush roses down to an outward facing bud to around 30cm from the ground, and dead-head shrub roses, remove weaker stems and thin over-crowded areas;
Prune later-flowering clematis (those in 'Groups 2 and 3') to just above a healthy pair of buds, about 50cm above the ground;
Mulch bare soil in beds and borders with 5-8cm layer of mulch, to retain moisture and supress weed growth;
Cut dogwood down to just above two or three leaf buds from the ground, to encourage the growth of new bright coloured stems;
Prune climbers - winter jasmine after flowering; honeysuckles and ivies can also withstand a hard prune;
Divide and replant congested clumps of summer-flowering perennials, and relocate and replant any evergreen shrubs that need moving;
Dead-head daffodils and lift, divide and replant clumps snowdrops.
Fruit, veg and herbs
Prune woody herbs such as sage and lavender to above 2-3 cm of last year's growth;
Divide and replant clumps of chives, lovage and mint;
Plant out any potted-up strawberry runners from last year;
Finish pruning fruit trees and bushes.
Gardening alongside nature
Remove nets and grids from over ponds, or if uncovered, dredge out any fallen leaves and twigs to prevent the water from turning stagnant. The frogs will be on their way to spawn soon!
Plant hardy annuals such as cornflowers, corn marigolds, poppies etc - identify a sunny area for a wildfower meadow, to attract pollinators;
Plant comfrey to use for making natural fertiliser. It's also a good, fast-growing ground cover and the bees absolutely love it.
