April 24th-30th
If you have a garden pond, it needs to be weeded and tended, just like the rest of the garden. Fallen leaves and dead foliage on aquatic plants should be removed regularly, as rotting matter upsets the balance and encourages the growth of algae. Some oxygenators - submerged plants that help to absorb carbon dioxide - are rampant growers and need to be thinned a couple of times a year. (Incidentally, rubber gloves allow you to get a good grip on slimy water plants while saving your hands from freezing - provided the pond is small enough to clear manually.)
And, although a pond and its inhabitants do best in a sunny position, too much sunlight falling on the surface promotes algae. Ideally, about half the surface should be covered with water plants: either the leaves of deep-water aquatics like water lilies or "floaters" like fairy moss (Azolla filiculoides).
Meanwhile, back indoors, sow sweetcorn, runner beans, cucumbers and courgettes in small pots on a sunny window sill or in the greenhouse. These can be planted out in a few weeks when all risk of frost is past.
Diary Date
Sunday, April 25th, 12.305.30 p.m., plant sale in aid of guide dogs, Our Lady of Dolours Church, Glasnevin.