Monty Don warns of jobs you must do at the end of February to get your garden ready for spring

After a long and cold winter, there is, at last, light at the end of the tunnel - meaning it's now time for gardeners to prepare for warmer weather. But for those who don't know where to start; gardening guru Monty Don has a list of jobs that should be completed at the end of February, in preparation for spring.

With spring on the horizon, green-thumbed gardeners may feel the list. With spring is only just round the corner, those with a green thumb may feel like the list of tasks to get their outdoor spaces looking perfect is endless. From raking leaves, sewing seeds and pruning back older plants, there's certainly lots to tick off the to-do list.

On his blog, the BBC presenter says he often finds January can be cruel and long but February provides a more hopeful atmosphere. He said: 'February is the month when the garden really starts to come alive and grow even if the weather can be severe and the days are still short.'.

Because the days start to get longer with the sun setting past 5pm, it's the perfect time to start on those post-winter jobs. Here FEMAIL reveals Monty's tips and tricks to make sure you can have as luscious a garden as possible when the sun comes out.

Gardening guru Monty Don (pictured on Gardener's World)  has a list of things that keen gardeners can do to get their outdoor spaces ready for the sunnier days on the horizon. It's not too early to start planting seeds, Monty says, and the best way to start is by utilising window sills, greenhouses and heated plastic propagators that can kick-start seedling growth.

While it might still be too cold to pop them directly in to the soil outside, with some care and attention you can get some flowers and vegetables growing inside. All you need are some seedling trays to individually sow your plants and a window sill with some sunlight and warmth.

A greenhouse will do the same job but it's important to ensure it too is in the path of some sunlight to warm it up. If you don't have a greenhouse, a heated propagator will do the trick, the gardening guru advises. The little seed trays come with a lid, and plug in to warm up the seeds - much like an incubator.

Some easy vegetables to start planting now include leeks, peas, kale and rhubarb but Monty warns that there is one mistake many gardeners make and it could be costly. The gardening expert warned against mollycoddling seedlings and instead advised removing them from any heat source as soon as they start to sprout to build up hardier plants.

In his column for Gardener's World, he wrote: 'It's very tempting to mollycoddle seedlings, especially early in the spring. This is always a mistake'. Monty explained that it was much better to place them in a sheltered area with plenty of ventilation while they grow.

While it might be too cold to pop the seeds directly in to the soil outside, with some care and attention you can get some flowers and vegetables started on a window sill or in a greenhouse (stock image). While pruning can also be left until March, it's a useful job to tick off before Spring gets underway.

Monty advises using really sharp cutting tools for pruning to avoid damaging the plant and make sure to snip in the right place. Monty advised on his blog: 'Do not snip at random but make your cut just above a bud or a leaf or the joint of another stem.'.

The presenter also urged against using tools that are unfit for the job such as secateurs that are too small for thick branches. For plants such as a clematis, Monty suggests pruning hard and not being afraid to strip it back. However he adds: 'The old rhyme “if it flowers before June do not prune” will get you out of most trouble'.

While for plants such as roses, he explains that while there's some mystique about when to prune them and the best way to do it, the reality is they're actually very hardy plants that can take 'a mauling'. For gardeners who want to spend the summer making salads from their own produce, now is the time to start growing tomatoes, Monty says.

While it isn't absolutely necessary, the gardening guru reveals in his blog that he likes to to sow tomatoes in two batches to increase his harvest and as an insurance against bad weather. He plants the first set in February and the next in March or April.

The best way to plant them is to scatter the seed lightly on the surface of compost in a seed tray and then lightly cover them with another layer of compost. Monty advises tomato growers to water them well because they're a thirsty plant, and put them in a warm spot to germinate.

Once the first set of true leaves, which Monty describes as 'leaves, however small, that are recognisably a tomato rather than the ones that grow initially', it's time to plant them in individual or bigger bots because they now have roots and wait for May when they can be put in even bigger pots or in a vegetable patch.

While not a glamorous job, Monty says that mulching is one of the most important things a gardener can do if they have a large enough space. Mulching, which is spreading a layer of leaves, compost or other organic material over soil, does three jobs all at the same time.