Fertilize outdoor plants to stimulate growth.

Weed beds and borders, apply a mulch to help control weed and improve the soil fertility.

Split hardy border plants, plant container shrubs, trees and summer flowering bulbs.

Complete all the pruning this month, support and tie in climbers, renew or loosen tree ties.

Shade the greenhouse, use a shade wash that lets as much light in as possible on wet and dull days.

The grass will want cutting this month, apply a suitable fertilizer, re-sow or re-turf damaged grass areas and edges. If time permits scarify the lawn to remove the thatch that as built up on the lawn over the autumn and winter period which if not removed will stifle the emerging grass.

Sow hardy annuals in situ this month and thin out as they grow.

Pot on and continue to prick out seedlings in the greenhouse, buy in plant plugs for growing on and plant tomatoes in the unheated greenhouse.

Watch out for pests and diseases and control by your preferred method. 

Harden off tender annuals towards the end of this month, you still have time to sow some half hardy annuals.

Sow new grass areas a week or two after the soil has been levelled, firmed and fertilized.

To the end of the month plant hanging baskets but keep them in the glasshouse until they have established and all danger of frost has passed.

Remove side shoots from glasshouse tomatoes.

Although the increasing warmth of the sun and rising soil and air temperatures promote growth in the garden, plants can be badly damaged by one night of frost. Spring frost is a major threat when the sky is clear, the soil is dry and the wind is coming from the north. Cover with fleece plants at risk before dark when their is a threat of frost, plants that do get frosted can be sprayed in the very early morning with a fine spray of water before the sun damages them.

Slugs can cause a lot of damage this month, encourage natural predators into the garden, set traps or lay poisoned bates under tiles.

Make some time to enjoy the profusion of plants that are beginning to unfold, in addition to the bright colours of bulbs new shoots and leaves are appearing everywhere to provide a wealth of greenery.  

Lady bird larvae eat greenfly, Lacewings and Hoverflies also kill this pest, encourage them into the garden by not indiscriminately spraying the with insecticides.

Compost garden and kitchen waste, turn the compost heap, keep it moist this will help it make good compost quicker.