Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4

Week 1

General
Dividing large clumps of herbaceous perennials if needed then replanting smaller pieces.
 
Any self-set seedlings growing in the wrong place were dug up carefully then replanted in better positions, these were watered in well and not allowed to dry out, as the roots will take a few weeks to establish.

Deadheaded any early spring flowering bulbs.
 
Started watering dahlias in the heated greenhouse to encourage new growth that can be used for cuttings.
 
Split and repotted Canna lilies as the pots they were in were too small.

Allotment
Planted out PEA 'Douce Provence' under a cloche.

Elizabethan Vegetable Garden
Planted out LETTUCE 'Tom Thumb' and CABBAGE 'Golden Acre Primo'.

Parterre
Planted out CARROT 'Siroco' and BROAD BEAN 'Aquadulce Claudia'.

Artisan's Cottage Garden
Planted out BROAD BEAN 'Aquadulce Claudia'.

Gentleman's Cottage Garden
Planted out BROAD BEAN 'Aquadulce Claudia'.

Greenhouse
Potted on CELERY and MARIGOLDS into 8cm (3") pots.

Sown MELON 'Lunabel'; CUCUMBER 'Bella' and PUMPKIN 'Hundredweight' into 8 cm (3") pots.

Week 2

General
Planted lilies in some areas.
 
Identifying and labelling any bulbs in flower if not already known.
 
Any evergreen shrubs growing in the wrong place were dug up and moved.
 
Lifting and dividing snowdrops if needed.

Annual lawn maintenance - scarifying, aerating, top-dressing, feeding, and seeding or turfing any bare patches.

Spraying an insecticidal soft soap solution in the greenhouses as needed, mainly affected by aphid.

Allotment
Planted out ONION 'Mammoth Improved'.

Planted out the rest of the 1st early, 2nd early and maincrop POTATOES.

Planted out SWEET PEAS.

Elizabethan Vegetable Garden
Planted out ONION 'Lancastrian'.

Put collars made from old carpet underlay around CABBAGES planted out last week as a preventative barrier against cabbage root fly.

Parterre
Planted out ONION 'Ailsa Craig'.

Greenhouse
Potted all TOMATOES on into 2 lt pots.

Multi-sown TURNIP 'Golden Ball' into modules.

Pricked out CELERIAC into modules.

Harvest remainder of 1st earlies from the large pots.

Sown CELERY 'Giant Pascal' and 'Golden Spartan' and BROAD BEAN 'Aquadulce Claudia' into modules.

Sown PEA 'Little Marvel' into gutter.

Potted on all varieties of RUDBECKIA into 7cm (3") pots.

Week 3

General
Pruning – Lavender,Penstemon, Rose, Santolina, Sambucus, Mahonia, Hydrangea, Roses, Caryopteris, Fuschia, Buddleja, Cotinus, Salix, Cornus, Spiraea japonica, Hypericum, Jasmine nudiflorum, Forsythia, Erica, Lonicera purpusii as well as grasses and some others.
 
Started regularly deadheading daffodils.
 
Any nets were taken off ponds.
 
Applying pelleted chicken manure to all beds and borders to give plants a feed.
 
Gave lawns their first cut of the year.

Seed sowing – various annuals and perennials.
 
Opened glasshouse doors and windows if warm outside.

Greenhouse
Sown BROAD BEAN 'Crimson Flowered' and 'Express.

Moved out all modules and pots ready for hardening off into tunnel.

Week 4

General
Repotted tender plants if they were becoming pot bound as well as top-dressing other potted plants to give them a smarter appearance.

Plant supports were put around the gardens where tall growing plants are. This will give extra support to tall stems later in the season.
 
Watering as and when needed.

Allotment
Planted out PEA 'Purple Podded' and 'Petit Pois'.

Tidied through overwintered SPINACH crop.

Elizabethan Vegetable Garden
Directly sown SPRING ONION 'White Lisbon'.

Planted maincrop POTATO 'Desiree'.

Planted out SWEET PEA 'Geoff Hamilton'.

Greenhouse
Sown BROAD BEAN 'Crimson Flowered' into deep modules and 8cm (3") pots.

Sown CHARD 'Bright Lights' into modules.

Potted on rest of PUMPKINS; CUCUMBER and MELONS into 3 litre pots.

Sown RUNNER BEAN 'Enorma' and 'Celebration' into 8cm (3") pots.

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4

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