Prune pipfruit, plant pansies
Fruit
Prune apple and pear trees to ensure a good cycle of fruiting wood and avoid crowded and thus less productive branches. Aim for an open vase shape with four or five main branches.
Citrus seldom needs pruning but, should you want to reshape it or make it easier to harvest, then do it now, in winter, when the female lemon tree borer is not around looking for somewhere to lay her eggs. (The larva subsequently tunnel into branches, weakening them, and in worst-case scenarios, killing the tree.)
Plant strawberries, preferably in the sun in rich well-drained soil – they hate being waterlogged. Two types of strawberry are available, short-day and day neutral. Shortday tend to be grown more by commercial growers. They crop heavily from late spring into early summer but then production tends to dwindle, whereas day-neutral will supply fruit from spring to autumn, whenever temperatures are high enough.
Ornamentals
Glasshouses will need a good winter clean. Remove whitewash from glass, clear out plant debris, weed and wash interior shelves and benches with soapy water. Painting shelves black will help retain warmth.
Give roses a clean-up spray of copper and oil. For maximum effect, cover the whole bush with spray and around the base. Do not spray on a hot sunny day (or a rainy or windy one).
Plant lilies, pansies, polyanthus, poppies and other spring flowers.
Prune edible and ornamental grapevines and Japanese maples (Acer palmatum and Acer japonicum) as soon as possible after leaf fall – sooner rather than later as their sap rises early and ‘‘bleeding’’ will occur if pruned during this time.
Try not to walk on a lawn while it is still covered in frost as this can damage the grass.
Edibles
Plant garlic, pointy side up, about 3cm to 5cm deep, in the sun in rich, free-d raining soil. Plant shallots in similar spot to garlic but half in, half out of the soil. After planting garlic and shallots, layer compost around the cloves.
Broad beans and peas may still be sown as long as the soil is not sodden or frozen. It is helpful to put in support at sowing time, so as not to disturb roots if it is installed later.
Spread compost over vegetable beds, especially where you plan to grow beans, celery, lettuce, peas, spinach and tomatoes.
– Mary Lovell-Smith