BBC - Gardeners' calendar

January

Plant winter hellebores
Action time: 01/01 - 01/01

Hellebores herald the start of the new year, with most plants coming into bloom in early January. Plant with plenty of organic matter in the soil.

Protect tender perennials
Action time: 20/01 - 20/01

Keep an eye on the weather forecast, and protect tender perennials such as banana plants if a frost is predicted.

Inspect your dahlia tubers
Action time: 29/01 - 29/01

If you have lifted and stored dahlia tubers for the winter, take time to check that they are still clean and dry. Throw out any which are blackened or rotted.

Mulch your beds
Action time: 30/01 - 07/02

Sprinkle mulch around emerging plants to add nutrients to the soil and keep in moisture and warmth.

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February

Add hellebores to your borders
Action time: 01/02 - 01/02

Plant hellebores for gently nodding large saucer-shaped flowers from now until late March. They prefer a sheltered position away from the effects of damaging icy winds.

Tidy your epimediums
Action time: 01/02 - 01/02

Frost damage can leave epimedium leaves looking battered and ragged. Cut these back so that the flowers can take centre stage.

Take root cuttings
Action time: 17/02 - 20/02

Propagate your favourite perennial plants from root cuttings.

Rejuvenate overgrown perennials
Action time: 26/02 - 07/03

If the weather is mild enough, lift and divide perennials to promote healthy, vigorous growth and a crop of new plants.

Check on stored dahlia tubers
Action time: 28/02 - 28/02

Crown rot is frequently found on overwintered dahlia tubers. Check your tubers during the winter and separate out any that show signs of infection.

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March

Plant hellebores for winter interest
Action time: 01/03 - 01/03

Hellebores are happy planted in shade with plenty of organic matter. They dislike being moved once established, so allow them to self-seed to provide replacements.

Make more dahlias
Action time: 10/03 - 15/03

Plant dahlia tubers in trays of damp compost, leaving the stems exposed. Place the tray in a greenhouse and within weeks you'll have new shoots.

Lift and divide perennials
Action time: 12/03 - 14/03

Ideally, perennials should be divided and replanted every three to five years. Suitable plants include asters, kniphofias or daylilies.

Control perennial growth
Action time: 17/03 - 19/03

Continue dividing plants to keep them healthy and strong. It's also a great way to get new plants for free

Start feeding plants
Action time: 22/03 - 29/03

Spread a slow release fertiliser around emerging plants to get your flower beds off to a good start.

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April

Propagate dahlias
Action time: 02/04 - 09/04

Take cuttings of new shoots from tubers and place them in a heated propagator. They should form roots in about three weeks and be ready for planting out.

Know your weeds
Action time: 09/04 - 11/04

As the weather warms up, weeds can quickly take over. Remove annual weeds with a hoe to prevent them from competing with your plants.

Mulch beds and borders
Action time: 10/04 - 17/04

Give emerging plants an instant boost with a thick layer of mulch. This will trap in moisture and help prevent beds from drying out during the summer.

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May

Plant out dahlias
Action time: 24/05 - 07/06

Harden off rooted cuttings before planting them in the garden. After planting, pinch out the tips to encourage bushier growth.

Feed irises
Action time: 28/05 - 31/05

Feed plants with a low-nitrogen, slow-release fertiliser and add extra lime for very acid soils.

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June

Pinch out fuchsia tips
Action time: 02/06 - 09/06

Pinch out growing tips to encourage bushier growth and more blooms. Begin feeding plants when the flower buds first appear.

Look out for mildew
Action time: 03/06 - 05/06

Check plants for a white powdery coating on the surface of their leaves. Prune out all infected parts of the plant and burn diseased material.

Prevent weeds
Action time: 13/06 - 14/06

Remove weeds before they flower and go to seed. When pulling perennial weeds, make sure you pull up the entire root.

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July

Look out for mildew
Action time: 03/07 - 05/07

As well as a white powdery coating, affected plants also display dark brown or bright yellow spots. Prune out and burn infected material.

Control weed growth
Action time: 13/07 - 20/07

Remove annual weeds by hand or with a hoe. Use a hand fork to lever perennial weeds and remove all the roots to prevent regrowth.

Collect seeds
Action time: 14/07 - 28/07

Choose a dry, still day and select healthy plants whose seedheads appear to be opening. Place seeds into a paper bag and store in a cool place.

Divide irises
Action time: 14/07 - 24/07

Lift and divide overgrown clumps to rejuvenate plants.

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August

Prevent powdery mildew
Action time: 03/08 - 05/08

Roses growing in dry sheltered areas against walls are prone to powdery mildew. Keep roots moist by incorporating organic matter in autumn and applying mulches in spring.

Grow green manure
Action time: 17/08 - 24/08

Give your soil a boost of nutrients with a green manure. Scatter seeds over the surface of the soil and water in well.

Control vine weevil
Action time: 17/08 - 19/08

The weevil and its larvae can be one of the most destructive pests to garden plants. Apply biological controls around vulnerable plants before the grubs begin to hatch.

Propagate pelargoniums
Action time: 20/08 - 27/08

Take cuttings from healthy shoots and you'll have new plants in a few weeks time.

Cut and store seedheads
Action time: 26/08 - 02/09

Saving seeds is a great way of propagating plants from your garden. Look out for seedpods that look as if they're about to split and cut off the entire seedhead.

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September

Divide your perennials
Action time: 07/09 - 21/09

Any large clumps of summer-flowering perennials, such as daylilies, can be divided to make new plants.

Save seeds from the garden
Action time: 20/09 - 27/09

Easy seeds to collect are love-in-a-mist, foxgloves and honesty. Cut off seedheads from healthy looking plants, place them into a paper bag and store until they're ready for sowing.

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October

Store begonia tubers
Action time: 24/10 - 07/11

Allow tuberous begonias to dry out. As the winter progresses, lift the tuber, dust it with sulphur powder and store it in a cool, dry place.

Lift your dahlias
Action time: 25/10 - 14/11

After the first frosts, lift your dahlia tubers and cut back foliage to 10cm (4 inches) above the tuber. Store the tubers upside down over winter to avoid rotting.

Wrap up your bananas
Action time: 28/10 - 31/10

Tender plants such as bananas need winter protection, so wrap them up in horticultural fleece before the first frosts.

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November

Tidy hardy perennials
Action time: 19/11 - 29/11

Cut back yellowing foliage on hardy perennials such as hostas. It will make the garden look tidier and stop pests from using the leaves as shelter over winter.

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December

Take root cuttings
Action time: 18/12 - 25/12

Take cuttings of plants with thick, fleshy roots. Make new verbascum, rubus and acanthus for next year.

Plant hellebores for seasonal colour
Action time: 18/12 - 18/12

Add hellebores to your shadier borders for beautiful winter flowers between January and late March.

Watch out for overwintering pests
Action time: 20/12 - 24/12

Be on the lookout for any pests on plants over winter. Small infestations of whitefly, red spider mite and greenfly can soon spread, storing up more problems for the future. Control pests now by picking them off leaves, spraying or disposing of infected plants.

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May 2012
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Perennials

January

Plant winter hellebores Action time: 01/01 - 01/01

Protect tender perennialsAction time: 20/01 - 20/01

Inspect your dahlia tubersAction time: 29/01 - 29/01

Mulch your bedsAction time: 30/01 - 07/02

February

Add hellebores to your borders Action time: 01/02 - 01/02

Tidy your epimediumsAction time: 01/02 - 01/02

Take root cuttingsAction time: 17/02 - 20/02

Rejuvenate overgrown perennialsAction time: 26/02 - 07/03

Check on stored dahlia tubersAction time: 28/02 - 28/02

March

Plant hellebores for winter interest Action time: 01/03 - 01/03

Make more dahliasAction time: 10/03 - 15/03

Lift and divide perennialsAction time: 12/03 - 14/03

Control perennial growthAction time: 17/03 - 19/03

Start feeding plantsAction time: 22/03 - 29/03

April

Propagate dahliasAction time: 02/04 - 09/04

Know your weedsAction time: 09/04 - 11/04

Mulch beds and bordersAction time: 10/04 - 17/04

May

Plant out dahliasAction time: 24/05 - 07/06

Feed irisesAction time: 28/05 - 31/05

June

Pinch out fuchsia tipsAction time: 02/06 - 09/06

Look out for mildewAction time: 03/06 - 05/06

Prevent weedsAction time: 13/06 - 14/06

July

Look out for mildewAction time: 03/07 - 05/07

Control weed growthAction time: 13/07 - 20/07

Collect seedsAction time: 14/07 - 28/07

Divide irisesAction time: 14/07 - 24/07

August

Prevent powdery mildewAction time: 03/08 - 05/08

Grow green manureAction time: 17/08 - 24/08

Control vine weevilAction time: 17/08 - 19/08

Propagate pelargoniumsAction time: 20/08 - 27/08

Cut and store seedheadsAction time: 26/08 - 02/09