JOBS TO DO THIS WEEK

■ Help reduce plastic and make simple little paper pots for seed sowing from newspaper. Wrap several times around a cylindrical object such as a bottle and then tuck in at the end. You could also use cardboard egg cartons, toilet rolls or even ready-to-buy biodegradable pots in garden centres.

■ Any herbaceous perennials that have lost their vigour and are thinning at the centre can be lifted and divided, which will improve their health as well as their flowering.

■ Sow some annuals – something as simple as calendula will provide sparkles of colours in the summer months.

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

■ Weeding – it’s on the list every week but it’s the top job at this time of year.

■ Lightly clip heathers as the flowers turn brown.

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

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