Give your house’s exterior a quick external spring clean, checking that the windows are in good order.

If your wooden window frames are rotten, there’s a chance you can salvage them short-term by drenching the rot in the wood hardener.

DIY stores sell special wood fillers for filling in scraped-away areas of wood.

For windows that have had layers of paint applied over the years, use a heatr gun, sander or paint stripper to strip it back and provide a better finish.

If you prefer to use a non-toxic water-based paint stripper, try Home Strip. Remember to protect the glass with low-tack masking tape, which comes off more easily.

For those who prefer the sanding method, use a cloth dampened with white spirit to wipe down the wood. However, if you are painting over already painted wood, you shouldn’t need a primer or undercoat.

The top coat should be a gloss, satinwood or eggshell suitable for exterior use.

Outside, prune shrubs and roses, divide perennials, sow tender plants and mulch fruit trees.

Sprinkle general-purpose fertiliser along the base of hedges and around trees and shrubs, followed by a generous mulch of rotted compost.

March is also a good time to use soapy water to wash built-up dirt off frames and cloches to ensure the maximum amount of light reaches your seedlings and crops.