If the weather is mild the grass will soon be on the way, so it is best now to check over your lawnmower for defects before you begin. Check for blade wear, oil bearings and on electric lawnmowers check the cables for damage. Remember when working on your mower, always remove the spark plug lead on petrol mowers and always unplug electric tools.

If taking an early spring cut on your lawn it is best to use a rotary mower, set the blades fairly high to avoid pulling the grass out by the roots. This type of damage is more prone to happen with a cylinder mower.

For the really keen gardener this is the time to sow vegatable seed and some varieties of annual flower seeds. The soil in the garden, is often wet and cold at this time of year , so one should always choose a good drying day for seed sowing. Nothing will be gained sowing early if the seeds rot away in wet soil. So if conditions are not right, it is better to sit in front of the telly rather than waste your time and money.

So that you don't lose valuable time due to wet conditions, many early vegetables can be started in boxes in a cold greenhouse. Alternativly, there are many cold frames on the market with which to cover and protect the young plants against the worst of the weather, if you do choose to sow outside.

Now is the time to split that large bog of snowdrops, snowdrops are best replanted straight after flowering. Do not allow the bulbs to dry out before planting them in their new location..

March is the last opportunity to prune back unruly growth on your shrubs, before leaf growth begins. In order to retain the flowering buds, do not prune the early flowering rhododendrons magnolias camelias and azaleas until the Autumn. Theses four shrubs along with heathers will benefit from an application of peat around the base of the plant. The peat not only keeps the ground damp but also makes the soil acid for theses lime hating plants.