Winter is coming to an end now and you should really be thinking about getting ready for the spring season. Here are our expert’s ‘must-do’ jobs for February

• Prepare your vegetable beds for sowing seeds. Mix well-rotted manure and garden compost to improve the soil texture.
• Sharpen tools such as secateurs and loppers - blunt tools can damage your plants
• Pinch out the tips of sweet-pea seedlings when they get to 8-10cm tall
• Start sowing your broad beans. If soils are very wet or clay rich, sow them in individual pots and leave them in a cold frame
• Replace your nets back on your fruit and vegetable cages
• Cover your empty vegetable beds with cloches, tunnels and fleeces
• Make sure your greenhouse is in good working order. Installing a ventilator will help give the correct amount of air to your plants when needed
• Towards the end of the month, begin sowing your seeds in the greenhouse. If your greenhouse is heated you can do this a bit earlier
• Chit your potatoes – if you’re new to chitting watch this video on the BBC Gardener’s World website. Visit www.potato-days.net for this year’s list of potato days.
• Make sure your winter pruning is complete. Have a look through our Calendar of events for pruning workshops throughout the country