JOBS for the week

■ Weeding – it’s on the list every week but it’s the top job at this time of year. Since they are emerging, the more you tackle weeds now, the fewer problems you’ll have later in the season.

■ Help the war on plastic and make simple little paper pots for seed-sowing from newspaper – wrap paper several times around a cylindrical object such as a bottle, and then tuck in at the end. You can also use cardboard egg cartons, toilet rolls, or ready-made biodegradable pots from garden centres.

■ Herbaceous perennials that have lost vigour and are thinning at the centre can be lifted and divided which will improve their health and flowering.

■ Rake your lawn to remove dead grass and winter debris. Mow and then feed to ensure it’s green and lush.

■ Garden centres are full of flowering bulbs which will look great in pots and containers or in bare gaps in the borders.

■ If you took hardwood cuttings last year, check on them now – they should be ready for potting on or planting in the ground.

■ Lightly clip heathers as the flowers turn brown and die.

■ Acid-loving plants such as rhodos and camellias will benefit from an ericaceous feed.

■ If you’ve been busy cutting back and pruning shrubs, give them a boost with some compost/manure or fertiliser to help them recover.