This month we should start to notice the sun warming up, the grass starting to grow and of course the early spring bulbs will be gracing us with their presence brightening up our borders and generally making us smile! The weather though this month can be changeable so don’t be tempted to remove any protective fleeces on your planted out tender plants. And for any you've stored under cover over winter, we can still have some sharp frosts so you may need to keep them safe until the threat of frosts has passed.

With the sun’s warmth getting stronger though the germination of weeds will begin in earnest now so it is really important to hoe them out. Any perennial weeds will need to be dug out now before they really start to take hold. Applying mulch to the soil this time of year is good because it will keep all the moisture in and cut down on the amount of weeds germinating.

Roses will need some attention this month too, if you didn’t prune in the autumn now is the time to do it before new growth is well developed. Also willows and dogwoods will need some attention so they are looking their best for the autumn and winter displays we like so much.

This month pests and diseases in the garden really start to get going so it is vital to keep on top of them. If you are normally a chemical user then consider giving biological controls a try this year, slugs and snails can be greatly reduced by watering a particular nematode into the borders two or three times a year. In the greenhouse keep your eyes open for aphids, red spider mite and whiteflies as the temperatures begin to rise and biological controls can all work for them too.