13 jobs for this week

1 Cut back and tidy perennials

Cut back dead stems and chop woody stems into smaller lengths with a spade or secateurs. Cut off any seed-heads before composting to avoid seeds germinating in the heap. Mark where plants or bulbs are emerging. Plants can disappear without trace once stems and foliage fade and it is very easy to hoe off their emerging buds or dig up the plants by mistake. If bad weather is forecast, protect vulnerable shoots with fleece or a wigwam of canes or conifer branches. These will also help to deter pests such as rabbits or deer.

2 Trim back untidy grasses

It’s been a hard winter for tall grasses such as pampas grass. Their plumes have been battered by snow and look very bedraggled. Cut back the damaged stems as near to their bases as possible. Pampas leaves are razor sharp so wear sturdy gloves and eye protection. The fluffy seed-heads go everywhere so stuff the cut stems, plume first, into a strong refuse bag as you work. Other deciduous grasses to trim hard now are deschampsia, calamagrostis and Stipa tenuissima, but leave miscanthus until April when it is easier to see new growth emerging.

3 Start to air the greenhouse

Good air circulation is vital in the greenhouse even in winter. Humidity builds up as conditions start to warm up in spring and stale, stagnant air encourages fungal infections such as grey mould (botrytis) to spread. On still days, open roof vents to help the hottest air to escape, and to keep seedlings out of draughts. As the weather warms up, use side louvre vents and leave the greenhouse door open on mild days. Consider investing in automatic vents that open as soon as the temperature rises. Hang up sticky traps and inspect the undersides of foliage to control early outbreaks of aphids.

4 Weed your gravel paths

Gravel paths give good non-slip access in snowy weather and the sound they make is great for warning of intruders. But they also make the perfect home for weeds. The easiest way to clear them is to hoe along the path, being careful not to tear any weed-suppressing membrane. Rake up weeds to stop them reseeding. Gravel often gets pushed to the sides of the path so rake it back to the middle and top up with more if necessary. Clear loose gravel from lawn edges to avoid damage to shears and mower blades.

5 Tidy around your bergenias

Bergenias are hardy plants that cope with harsh winter weather. Many varieties take on beautiful dark red tones  in cold spells, returning to green once the weather warms up. To keep the plants looking their best, clear away any dead, brown or frost-damaged leaves. At this time of year slugs and snails shelter under the foliage ready to munch through leaves, so pick them off to avoid damage and look out for tell-tale notched leaves caused by vine weevils.

6 Sow strawberries

Sow seeds in warmth at 21C (70F) from late winter to early spring on the surface of good seed compost. The seed is small so sprinkle with vermiculite to cover. After sowing, seal the pots or trays inside polythene bags until germination and keep in a light position. Germination takes between 14-30 days. Prick out seedlings once two true leaves have formed and grow on in cooler conditions. Harden off for 10 days before planting after all risk of frost has passed. Plant them level with the soil or very slightly above the surface to cut the risk of rotting. Alternatively, sow directly into well-raked soil in mid spring and thin plants out to 15cm (6in) apart. Most strawberries need a sunny open site, but because alpine strawberries grow naturally in woodland conditions, plants can still produce tasty fruit in semi-shaded positions. Strawberries hate to sit in soggy ground and their crowns can rot if plants are constantly wet. Feed and water plants during the growing season and shear off spent foliage in winter. New ‘Czerwony & Krem’ from Johnsons Seeds, www.johnsonsseeds.com, includes both white and red fruits. In tests, the equally delicious white strawberries were totally ignored by birds.

7 Sow chillies in the warmth of a polytunnel

Chillies need a long growing season plus warmth and sunshine to produce their best crop and a warm polytunnel is the ideal place to grow them. If you’ve never grown chillies this is the year to try because there are lots of interesting new varieties available. ‘Bhut Joloka’ from Suttons seeds comes with a reputation as the ‘hottest chilli yet’ or try a habanero chilli. ‘Scotch Bonnet’ is the most well-known of this type of chilli and there are also seed mixes that include them. Chilli seed can be hard to germinate, so to help it along soak the seeds overnight and put the seed trays in a warm airing cupboard after sowing. Sow thinly – a few plants will supply plenty of peppers. Sow into pots or trays at 18C to 21C (65-70F) Seed can be sown from now until early April. Seedlings should emerge within three weeks. Transplant the seedlings into small pots when they have two well-formed leaves, before transplanting them into their final positions in the polytunnel. Keep plants moist and well-ventilated and they will crop in 60 to 90 days. If your taste buds aren’t craving for anything quite so fiery, choose red and green sweet peppers instead. For more information, visit www.firsttunnels.co.uk or tel: 01282 601253.

8 Sow lettuce see little and often

Lettuce seed is normally white and very easy to see against dark soil or compost, making it simple to sow thinly. Sow seeds into a pot or seed tray and start them off in gentle warmth around 15-20C (59-68F). Outside, sow lettuce under cloches into warmed soil, sowing thinly in shallow drills that have been watered prior to sowing. The seeds germinate quickly and need protecting from pests such as slugs and snails or rodents. Thin out to 20cm (8in) apart and use the thinnings as baby salad leaves.

9 Get early carrots in under cover

By choosing stumprooted varieties such as ‘Early Gem’ or ‘Amsterdam Forcing 3’, it is possible to get a good early crop of carrots even if you grow them in containers or garden on stony soil. Inside, sow into pots on the surface of the compost and cover with a thin layer of vermiculite. Keep the compost moist and the seedlings should be through in a few weeks. Carrots can also be sown now into warmed soil in the polytunnel. Sprinkle seed thinly into drills 13mm (½in) deep and 15cm (6in) apart.

10 Transplant early lettuce seedlings

Early sowings of lettuce are ready to be transplanted now. A polytunnel is the ideal place to plant them. They’ll give a tender crop well before an outside sowing. Lettuces resent being moved so transplant them carefully into cell trays. Allow the young plants to grow on in gentle warmth at around 15C (60F). Keep the seedlings in good light and water regularly, preferably in the morning to avoid damping off or disease. Plant out into their final positions in the polytunnel for an extra-early salad crop.

11 Last chance to plant bare-rooted fruit

This is almost the last chance to plant barerooted fruit such as apples and gooseberries before they start back into growth, but container grown plants are in garden centres now. Treat containerised plants gently because they are likely to have only just been potted. Dig a hole wide and deep enough to take the plant without cramping. Plant the tree or bush at the same depth it was at the nursery. Back-fill with soil enriched with garden compost and firm in gently.

12 Net young crops against pigeon attacks

Brassicas and young, green crops are targeted by birds when the weather is harsh. Brussels sprouts and spring cabbage make a tasty treat; later in the year the birds target peas and lettuce. Bird scarers work for a while but netting is the best protection. Tether net firmly along the row and get someone to help if you are covering a large plot. Check nets regularly.

13 Plant up your own herb container

Most herbs thrive in gritty soil and sunny conditions, making them perfect for growing in containers. Herbs need good drainage so add crocks to the bottom of the pot, then fill with a mix of John Innes No. 2 and multi-purpose compost. Plant the tallest herbs such as sage and rosemary in the middle of the pot and tuck in the smaller herbs around the sides. Keep in the warmth of a greenhouse or on a sunny windowsill before putting the pot outside. Avoid planting mint with other herbs because its vigorous roots soon take over.