February has been another unsettled month but floodwaters have begun to recede in many parts of the country.
With the arrival of March, spring is just around the corner, bringing hopes of sunnier prospects.
At last your gardening tasks can begin in earnest – you've had all winter to plan this year's schedule, so now it's time to get out and about and put those plans into action.
One of your main tasks this months is to begin planting. Shallots, onion sets and early potatoes should all be planted at this time.
Plant shallot sets 25 cm (10 in) apart in rows 40 cm (16 in) apart. Gently push them into soft, well-worked soil so that the tip is just showing, then firm the soil around them.
Your chitted potatoes can be planted either in a drill or in individual holes in the soil, 7-15 cm (2.8 – 5.9 in) deep, with the sprouts pointing upwards. Cover them with at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of soil.
Onion sets should be planted 10 cm (4 in) apart in rows 30 cm (12 in) apart. Simply follow the same procedure as with your shallots.
You should make sure you protect any spring shoots from pests such as slugs. Seedlings and new growth are most at risk from these pests, so you should consider setting traps and barriers to stop them reaching your plants and ruining your hard work. You can also use chemical controls if necessary, of course.
Summer-flowering bulbs, particularly gladioli, should also be planted at this time.
Perennials should be lifted and divided during March – doing so regularly will ensure they perform well year after year.
First, lift them gently with a fork and shake off excess soil to expose the roots. Some individual plantlets can be teased out and replanted easily, while others should be pulled apart gently.
In some cases, particularly with fibrous-rooted perennials, a sharp knife, axe or lawn edging iron may be needed to cleave the clump in two.
Another task to perform now is to top dress containers with fresh compost. Simply scrape off the old compost from the top of the container and replace with new.
If temperatures are favourable, you should notice your grass starting to grow. Make use of dry days to mow the lawn. If your old mower's looking the worse for wear, you might want to think about investing in one of our top-selling petrol lawnmowers.
If you have any Cornus (dogwood) and Salix (willow) grown for colourful winter stems, you can cut them back now.
The arrival of spring isn't just good news for your plants. Weeds also start to grow again, so it's time to deal with them before they start causing problems – and resulting in backbreaking work later in the year.
If you have a fish pond, you should start feeding your fish now. You can also start using the pond fountain and remove heaters.
And finally, if you own a greenhouse or a conservatory, make sure you open the doors and vents on warm days.
