Job of the week

Grow early strawberries

Enjoy delicious home-grown strawberries at least four weeks before you pick them from the garden, by bringing some plants into a cool greenhouse or conservatory. Planted in a large container or hanging basket, just three plants will provide you with enough fruit for an early taste of summer.
Takes just 20 minutes

Flowers

  • Dig up congested clumps of winter aconites
  • Feed the soil by spreading compost over beds
  • Move plants growing in the wrong place

Fruit & veg

  • Prune out the oldest stems from blackcurrants
  • Check for signs of rot on any stored crops
  • Fork compost into the soil and clear away old crops

Greenhouse

  • Wash glazing inside and out
  • Bring potted camellias into unheated porches
  • Buy chrysanthemum cuttings

Around the garden

  • Keep window bird feeders topped up with seed
  • Wash out flowerpots and seed trays
  • Move patio pots to sheltered sites during cold periods