Here are our top tips for spring in the garden:

1. Start your grow bags. This is an ideal way to grow a wide range of crops including tomatoes, peppers and salads. We recommend that you use fresh bags each year to avoid problems with diseases that can recur year on year.

2. Start preparing containers. Growing plants in containers on a patio can yield a surprising amount from relatively little effort. You can grow herbs, salads and vegetables throughout the season. Tomato plants make excellent container plants. Many grow bags however are not ideally sized as shallow bags make it hard to place in stakes to support growing stems. Consider a larger pot container for a tomato plant.

3. Beware later frosts. Don't get caught out and pay attention to the weather forecasts in February, March and April. Frosts can catch you out - if you have already planted out, you can use fleece to protect plants from frosts.

4. Be alert for pests and diseases. If you have apple or other fruit trees, patrol the garden weekly for signs of pests. If caught early in the season, you have a better chance of getting them under control. Aphids can be controlled in numerous ways. Some recommend planting tagetes and calendula plants nearby as they also attract aphids and are preferred by aphids and distract them from your fruit trees. Also, spraying aphids with diluted washing up liquid is said to be effective. Place nets over berry crops such as blueberries.

5. Destroy the slugs! Copper barriers may help. Slugs make appearances on wet nights - the perfect time to reign them in. Beer trapscan sometimes help.