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and rhododendrons, taking care not to damage developing new leavesSow seeds of fast-growing hardy annuals, such as escholzia or poached-egg plant, to fill gaps

, including African violets, begonias and Cape primroseHang yellow sticky traps over plants to catch whitefly and flying pestsSow seeds of herbs, such as parsley, chives, coriander, garlic, basil, dill, fennel, mint, thyme, sage and lovage

on fruit trees and bushes, and treat with a fungicideErect supports for climbing beans, using tall canes or hazel stemsSow seeds outdoors this week: carrots, swedes, turnip, leaf beet and spinach

Dig over veg plots, mixing compost into the soil as you goContinue filling a trench with kitchen waste where you want to grow beansCover rhubarb with forcing jars for an early harvestUse cloches to warm the soil for early sowingsPlant new fruit

Top up fuel tank of paraffin heater every eveningBring potted hyacinths and bulbs under cover to bloomMake a sowing plan for raising greenhouse crops and bedding plants, and order seeds Bring potted peaches under cover to prevent an attack of leaf

Like many gardeners at this time of year, I can normally be found in the garden with my head in a bag of compost. I'm not hiding from the taxman, or even two noisy kids - I'm just trying to get some seeds sown. Sowing seeds is a task that should

few bits to friends, too. If I wanted more I could save some of the ripe seed capsules and sow them to raise new plants, but I think one clump is enough.Apparently you can find it growing wild in parts of southern England, especially on lime-rich soils

-pods of honesty look charming, adding interest when many other worthy perennials have given up the ghost for winter.Seed will naturally fall onto surrounding soil, sowing itself, with new seedlings emerging next year. Alternatively, seed can be saved to raise new

. If you have light, free-draining soil, you can start planting potatoes outside. I have very heavy clay soil in my garden, which is still a bit too wet for potatoes, so I’m putting it off for a little longer.I’ll sow some hardy annual flower seeds outside

stems of sedumsClear borders and rake up leaves FlowersKeep harvesting root vegetables as they matureOrder seed potatoes, onion sets and shallotsStretch netting over brassicasFruit & vegSow onion seed under cover, and keep warmCheck overwintering plants