Prepare a free-draining, sunny and weed-free bed to grow broad beans. Rake in blood, fish and bonemeal fertiliser to give the plants a boost. Plant the seedlings in a row, 15-20cm apart. Dig a hole an

Spread a bulky mulch on top of the soil surface around the base of young apple trees to condition the soil, hold in moisture and suppress weeds. This will all help the tree to establish well. Use well

Sow courgette and squash seeds now so you’ll have seedlings ready to plant outside in early summer. Fill pots or large module trays with peat-free multi-purpose compost. Place one seed in each pot, ab

Almost every gardener has a pot or two of strawberries on their plot, and with their compact, easy-to-care-for nature, who can blame us? Freshly picked fruits are juicy, flavoursome and far superior t

Discover foolproof steps to growing plump, tasty bulbs

Lucy highlights some of the most pressing jobs she’ll be tackling this fortnight