Easter action plan - eight things to do over the long weekend

It’s not too late – there’s still time to sow seeds for the summer! Sow hardy annuals directly into the soil, ideal for filling gaps in borders. There’s loads to choose from, but love-in-a-mist and pot marigolds, as well as native wildflowers, would all make great additions to your summer borders.

Follow these steps for sowing hardy annuals directly into borders:

Step 1: Prepare the bed before sowing by breaking down any large clumps using the back of a fork, and remove any weeds and rake the soil to a fine tilth. Remove any lumps of earth and large stones that may hinder the progress of emerging seedlings.

Step 2: Create drills using a trowel. Neat rows of seedlings are much easier to weed, so create straight drills, using a line and reel, or attach a length of string to a cane at either end of the row.

Step 3: Water the soil lightly before sowing, using a watering can with the rose attached.

Step 4: Space the seeds according to the instructions on the packet. Tip them into your hand, then sow them individually or in small pinches, rather than pouring directly from the packet. Lightly cover with soil or leave the seeds on the surface, depending on the instructions on the seed packet.

Pop sweet peas into position

This is a great time of year to sow sweet peas directly into the ground at the base of supports. If you sowed your seeds in autumn, now is the time to move them and plant them directly into the ground.

Pick your favourite support and look forward to a summer of endless blooms! Just don’t forget to keep picking once flowers start appearing.

Plant herbs for tasty dishes all summer

There’s nothing better than popping into the garden with your snips and bringing some herbs back into the kitchen. So find a sunny bed or container, and get sowing. Parsley, coriander, dill and chamomile will all flourish in a sunny spot.

Spring clean your greenhouse

Now that light levels are finally increasing, it’s important to make sure you’re getting as much light as possible into your greenhouse. You’d be shocked at how dirty the glass panes can get. So get those rubber gloves on, and give the glazing a good scrub.

Plus, don’t forget to open doors and vents on warm days to improve the air circulation.

Prick out your seedlings

Once your seedlings have produced their first pair of true leaves (these are leaves that resemble the parent plant), it’s time to prick them out! Transplant your seedlings into small pots or trays with peat-free multi-purpose compost. Use a pencil or a dibber to make a hole, and drop the seedling into the whole, making sure that the compost almost comes up to the lowest leaves. This will keep the seedling firmly in place – you can also gently firm the compost around your seedling. Water well.

Reach for the secateurs

If you’ve got a hydrangea, chances are it needs a prune now. The only exception is if you have a climbing hydrangea, which you’d prune in late summer, if at all! But for most others, they need pruning in March and April. The flower heads helped protect this year’s new buds from frost over the winter. Pruning now prevents your plant from becoming woody and congested, plus it will channel the plants energy into producing strong new growth and large blooms. After pruning your hydrangea, mulch the plant with well-rotted manure or compost, to help it grow back strongly.

Protect new seedlings from slugs and snails

There’s nothing worse than a slug or snail making a meal of one of your carefully tended new seedlings – so be on the watch and take steps to reduce the numbers of slimy visitors to your new plants. Creating a healthy eco-system is a great way to naturally reduce numbers, ensuring there are natural predators in your garden such as garden birds. Build a pond to attract frogs and toads, who will also enjoy a tasty slug.

It's tricky to make your garden completely slug or snail free, but you can try and create a clear area around your seedlings. Pop fabric or mesh at the base of pots so slugs can’t get in underneath, don’t plant out seedlings until they have reached a good size, and are more able to cope with any slug nibbles, and don’t overfeed young plants in spring or they’ll be irresistible to slugs.

Keep feeding the birds

Spend a bit of time giving your bird feeders a clean this weekend, this is vital to stop the spread of bird diseases. Now is a crucial time to feed the birds in your garden, as they will be busy raising their young so will need all the energy they can get.

More inspiration for your spring garden:

• Six quick ways to get your lawn looking good for summer
• Spring pruning checklist
• Best spring plants for shade