JOBS TO DO THIS WEEK

If you like to get your plot off to an early start, try warming up the soil now by covering it with a few cloches, left, or some clear polythene so you can sow veg early.

You can start sowing some indoors, such as broad beans.

The garden might be looking frosty at the moment so make sure you don’t walk on frosty lawns as this will damage them.

If you have fish in icy ponds, break the surface with a stick to allow oxygen in, but be careful – it’s easy to slip in this weather.

In the veg garden, protect your cabbage plants from pigeons with netting or fleece.

Remove any yellow leaves as they are dead and may harbour disease or pests.

Prune one third of blackcurrant stems to ground level to encourage new growth.

Sow begonia, lobelia and salvia seeds in a heated propagator.

If you’re weeding the borders, it’s best to lay a plank of wood down to stand on – that way you will do less damage to the soil.