Hopefully now that we have seen the back-end of winter, we need to put our efforts into developing what was left of the garden after Hurricane Fabian.

First and foremost is to thoroughly check the garden, from plants to lawn, roots to branches. Salt spray damage coupled with the severe gales suffered over the last several months have left many areas in need of restoration, pruning I would suggest is the number one item to tackle, as it will create future growth by creating replacement wood in which to prune back to as needed. Remember the creed when pruning is to remove dead, dying and diseased wood then prune for shape.

I would strongly suggest that from a gardening aspect we have to accept that we have two seasons in Bermuda, winter and summer, windy or calm or hot and cold whichever combination fits best. With this in mind, we should therefore plan accordingly, with the seasons being April to October (not counting hurricanes!!) and November to March. Seasonal plantings are therefore an important part of the gardening calendar, and should be programmed accordingly.

Lawns have suffered during the winter months with weed growth being prolific in many areas. Winter weeds need to be kept in check and eradicated sooner than later otherwise they will merge with summer weed growth which will start to grow once temperatures increase.

Summer grasses will also kick in when temperatures reach sixty-five degrees, to-date they have been in a dormant state and have suffered with cold temperatures and in many cases being 'overpowered' by weed growth.

Spot treatment of weed control is recommended for areas of lawn with heavy infestations of localised growth; such treatment is best achieved with liquid applications, granular applications can be used for areas of scattered weed activity.

Be sure to identify the type of grass and weed type before using any chemical control, as type of grass is important in determining the chemical to be used.

From a safety point of view clean out your sprayer thoroughly before using, as residual material could still be present from previous usage. If seeding is required consider using Bermuda grass as it is now coming onto the market for spring application. Rye grass is not recommended at this late stage of the winter, as it will die out once temperatures level of in the seventies, which should be in the next four weeks.

If you intend to spot sod, I would suggest waiting until mid-April when new growth will become active and will continue to grow as temperatures climb. When installing spot sod, plant at six inch centres, on firm ground, this will rapidly fill in during the early part of the summer. When large areas are to be tackled consider using an approach which enables the re-use of existing sod, this means using plugs from solid turf areas and moving through the property in strips or bands, constantly using 'filled' in areas.

New plantings appear to be a major exercise at this time of year, but unfortunately availability is another question. After visiting the nurseries for clients, I am concerned that even unusual material is not easily found. Hopefully this will improve slightly as young material is potted on and brought to the sales areas of nurseries. I do believe that many of the plants selected by customers are done so purely by their appearance and not by their functionality or desirability for the specific area.

Always ask questions when purchasing plants especially when they are new 'introductions' to Bermuda. Shade, sun, wind, salt and drought tolerance are all important attributes for any plant, and without such information it is often difficult for the amateur gardener to know what is best for a specific location. Other information that is important to know includes potential height, width and growth rate, especially if plant is to be located near buildings.

Check plant for any pest and disease problems, and look at the size of plant against its pot size; tall plants, or plants with thick trunks when planted in small containers should be avoided. This is usually an indication of the age of the plant and the likelihood of the roots being pot bound, check roots to see if they are 'overcrowded' in the pot and travelling around the sides of the pot, with nowhere to go.

Container size will to some degree dictate the size of the planting hole; excluding areas of hard rock, which should not be considered, planting holes should be large enough to accommodate and sustain plant growth without impediment for several years or at least until the plant is strong enough to maintain uninterrupted growth.

Annuals are just as popular as ever and are to be found in many varieties and colour range. Plants grown in cell packs need careful handling as any pressure on the young stems can lead to fungal problems and their early demise. Caterpillars and aphids are lovers of young tender growth; annuals are attractive to such invaders and are literally easy prey at all stages of development.

Observation is by far the best form of control, as soon as problems are noticed act accordingly; caterpillars can be removed by hand picking, whilst chemical control will take care of aphid infestations.

Never use chemicals on plants when they are under stress from drought or heat, and always ensure that plants are watered in the containers before planting, and the root area is watered well in after planting. It is often small acts that make or break the future growth of a plant; such acts are of a growing concern for our pocket book and most of all the environment.