Our gardening expert David Domoney explains what jobs you need to do now as the weather begins to nudge towards warmer.

Top Five Jobs for your garden

1: If you have either a Hydrangea paniculata or Hydrangea arborescens, now is the perfect time to prune. Pruning isn’t wholly essential, but helps to control the plant’s height, and keeps the flowers more balanced throughout the shrub. I suggest using AMES Tools Multifunction Bypass Pruners for this task; the scissor blade action is much better for live wood, causing the least damage to the shrub.

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2 During the first couple of weeks of March, you can start mowing your lawn again, provided the weather is suitable. Just ensure your lawnmower is on its highest setting for this first cut of the year. This will keep the grass as healthy as possible while it is coming back into growth.

3 You can plant gladioli bulbs now, provided you do so in containers. To give them the best chance, they should be kept in a frost-free spot, like a greenhouse. Choose containers large enough so that the bulbs have 5cm of soil beneath them. Each bulb should be 8-15cm deep, and spaced 5-8cm apart to give them ample space each.

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4 Now is a great time to deadhead your daffodil flowers. While it isn’t necessary, it stops the plant from putting energy into seed production. This means the energy will be put back into the bulbs, resulting in a more striking display the following year. The only reason to leave them is if you have naturalistic drifts where you may want to allow your daffodils to go to seed.

5 This month, start sowing parsnip seeds in their final position outside. Light, well-draining soil is ideal and be prepared for slightly erratic and slow germination. They prefer it when the soil has started to warm. To get the best results, wait until about mid-March to make a start, and sow plenty of fresh seeds. Sowing outside is best, as parsnips develop a tap root which prefers not to be moved.

Did You Know?

The oldest tree in the UK is thought to be the Fortingall Yew. The best estimates of its age are between 2,000 and 3,000 years old. It’s ina churchyard in Perthshire, and the trunk has split in several places overits long life.

The compound which gives cut grass its sweet smell, coumarin, is often found in perfumes. It’s thought that around 90%of perfumes contain coumarin. It’seven found in high concentrations in cinnamon.

Not only was celery used in ancient Egypt to treat ailments suh as rheumatism, it was also revered and used to honour the dead. It was also found as garlands in Tutankhamun’s tomb.

A series of polls have determined that the UK’s favourite vegetable is the humble potato. According to a YouGov poll, potatoes have 91% popularity among all adults, quickly followed by new potatoes with 86%, and carrots in third with 85%.

Focus plant: Forsythia

With striking golden flowers in early spring, forsythia is one of the most evident displays spring is finally here. What makes them so eye-catching is their bright yellow flowers on bare branches ahead of the foliage.

Wonderful grown as a shrub or as hedging, this spectacular plant adds plenty of valuable interest in the early weeks of spring. It is best to plant container-grown forsythia in spring or autumn. But they can be planted any time of year provided the soil isn’t frozen or too dry in summer heat. Bare-root forsythia should be planted as soon as they arrive, between November and February.

Forsythia isn’t too fussy about soil types, provided it is not waterlogged. Sunny spots are best, but they will tolerate light shade, just be prepared for slightly fewer flowers.

Choose a spot with room for the forsythia to grow, as they have an ultimate height and spread of up to two metres each. Give young forsythia plants minimal pruning, but for established plants, prune immediately after flowering. This keeps the plants healthy and in uniform shape.