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and paulowniaFork and rake over the soil in border areas where you want to sow hardy annual flowers

Plant up hanging baskets, and leave them in a sheltered spot before hanging fully outsidePlant out potted alliums in groups to add interest to flower bedsPrune spring-flowering shrubs immediately after flowering, such as forsythia, ribes

to it for supportCut down pulmonarias and doronicum, then drench the soil around them with a liquid feedLift and divide clumps of primulasCut back the foliage of daffodils to clear beds for summer plantingTrim leaves and faded flowers from oriental poppies

their shoots into the soilCut down old stems on spring-flowering euphorbias, taking care not to get the milky sap on your skinGive hanging baskets and patio pots a weekly liquid feedRemove flower heads from flag irises as petals fadePrune back flowered stems

, and dig deeply to sieve out roots of perennial weeds, such as bindweed, ground elder and couch grass Improve compacted soil by mixing in extra compost. Take care not to walk on or dig up spring bulbsTake root cuttings from phlox and oriental poppiesPot up

mildew and blackspotPropagate climbers like wisteria and passion flower by layering. Bend low shoots to soil level and peg them down, making a slit in the portion buried to encourage rootingPick off any lily bulbils forming on the stems and pot them up

Catch earwigs in upturned pots crammed with newspaper or straw on canes among dahlias, and destroy any you findPrune pyracantha and train shoots to supports Prepare soil to plant evergreen shrubs and conifers by digging it over and incorporating

Take cuttings from pansies and violas Pot up tender perennials grown outside and bring under cover when cold nights are forecastPrune rambling roses after floweringGrow bulbs in aquatic baskets ready to drop into gaps in the border in spring

sheltered spot if conditions turn very coldTake root cuttings of oriental poppies and other perennialsLook for early-flowering snowdrops to pot up and bring into the housePrepare soil well before planting new rosesCover branches of holly berries with netting

Make last-minute pickings of fresh flowers for the houseSpread compost on to flower beds for worms to work in over winterCollect fallen leaves showing signs of blackspot from around rosesFork compost into borders, but take care not to spike emerging