Keep on top of garden jobs.

and greenhouse jobs with the help of our weekly checklists.

As I look out of my window this morning; I see 3 inches of snow and it is -5 degrees C.

Not much going on in the garden today you might think. Too true as well.
However, as soon as the weather clears they will be things to do.

If you have old fruit trees out there now is the time to go and look at them. Cut out the dead wood and prune the remainder so that the main branches all radiate in an even manner from a central trunk

May be you are thinking of growing Tiger Lily. Well now is the time to purchase and plant the bulbs. In light soil plant them in groups of six, on heavy soil plant them in groups of three. Remember that they will last for many years so make sure that you choose the right spot in the garden.

The raising of Border Chrysanthemums from seed provides a fascinating and instructive study. The resultant plants show a wide range in color, apart from which single, semi-double and double blossoms are all secured. Sowing in gentle heat now and growing the plants on under cool conditions ensure a display of bloom ensured from august until Christmas.

If you want to embellish your garden, with a real display of colour then dahlias are indispensable and it is surprising that the practice of raising a batch of seedlings is not more popular. It is quite an easy matter to sow now in the greenhouse or heated frame, and to secure an attractive display from July onwards until the winter frost.

Shallots are especially valuable in cases where it is difficult to grow onions from seed. They are very easy to grow on most soils but it is important to give them a long growing season. On the first occasion in February when the soil is dry enough, planting may be done in rows ten-fifteen inches square.

That great enemy of the broad bean- black fly- is not so much in evidence if the plants have been accorded a long growing season of growth. As soon as the soil is in fit state, the first outdoor sowing should be made. Sow the seeds in rows two feet apart, placing them two inches below the surface.