VEGETABLE PATCH : The quiet whisper of late winter soil calls for root work today. Dig trenches for Jerusalem artichokes, creating 12-inch deep furrows spaced 3 feet apart and incorporating a layer of well-rotted compost at the bottom for slow-release nutrients. Turn over heavy clay soils that have been winter-frosted, breaking large clumps with a garden fork but avoiding fine tilth that might compact with spring rains. / For those with polytunnels, sow early beetroot varieties like ‘Boltardy’ in modules filled with seed compost, covering with just ¼ inch of vermiculite to maintain moisture while allowing light penetration.
INDOORS : Houseplants sense the gradually increasing daylight hours. Repot dormant amaryllis bulbs that have finished their winter flowering cycle, using fresh potting mix with added perlite for drainage while leaving the top third of each bulb exposed. Examine overwintering dahlia tubers stored in cool, dark places – remove any showing signs of rot and dust cut surfaces with cinnamon powder as a natural fungicide. / If you’ve been nurturing citrus plants through winter, now’s the perfect window to prune leggy growth and apply a specialized citrus fertilizer at half-strength to awaken them gently.
LANDSCAPING : Cold-weather soil preparation yields summer rewards. Improve drainage in ornamental beds by incorporating coarse grit into the top 8 inches of soil where moisture-sensitive plants like lavender and salvias will grow. Divide established clumps of ornamental grasses before new growth emerges, using a sharp spade to cut through root masses and replanting sections with fresh compost. / Take advantage of bare branches to assess the structure of deciduous shrubs like hydrangeas and viburnums, removing crossed or damaged stems with clean, angled cuts just above outward-facing buds.