Monty Don names 1 garden job he does every year at this time

Monty Don has listed the one gardening job he always completes around this time of year to ensure decent garden growth. The famed horticulturist, broadcaster, and writer is known and loved for his gardening prowess, widely recognised for his lead presenting stint on the hit BBC gardening television series Gardeners’ World.

Any greenfingered enthusiasts know timing is essential when it comes to certain gardening jobs. Tackling some plants or lawns when it’s too cold can cause major damage, or affect the growth and appearance of your greenery for the rest of the year.

In the past, Don has stressed the importance of not cutting your grass too early in the colder months. On his blog, he explained: “Cutting too early during the colder months can damage your lawn, as grass doesn’t thrive in low temperatures.

“By mid-March, the weather in most parts of the UK has warmed enough to make mowing beneficial.”

The expert often offers advice and tips via social media, where he shares pictures snapped in his garden and details jobs he’s completed to get the most out of his outdoor space.

Now, he’s turned his attention to lime trees – another plant where correct timing is critical.

Taking to Instagram, Monty, 70, shared a photo of two rows of lime trees flanking a stone path in his garden. Though the trees are currently bare, this won’t be the case for long.

In the caption accompanying his post, the gardener offered further insight. He simply penned: “The limes have now had their annual cut and it won’t be long before the pruned knuckles will sprout new, leafy growth.”

It’s wise to prune lime trees once a year in early to mid springtime, before the blossom appears, ensuring any potential winter frost damage has been avoided. This regular pruning helps maintain a tree’s health and size while encouraging fruit production.

Mature trees require less intervention and can be pruned every one to three years to get rid of dead wood, crossing branches or suckers, while younger trees may need light trimming more regularly.

In the comments section beneath his post, fellow Instagram users were keen to share their thoughts. One person said: “Just thinking about the lovely photos you’ve shown of the limes in summer and the wonderful ferns, just looks amazing.”

Another said: “Very beautiful walking path with in lush green in spring and the winter look is also so good”.

A third commented: “Looking good already”, while a fourth agreed: “Very pretty”. Someone else added: “So beautiful!”

Monty Don got his TV start in 1989, with a regular gardening segment on This Morning which led to further work across multiple channels.

A successful author, he’s written more than 25 books since his first was published in 1990. In 2003, at Alan Titchmarsh’s suggestion, he took over as the lead presenter on the hit BBC show, Gardener’s World.

He’s also written and produced several of his own garden series, including 2026’s Monty Don’s Rhineland Gardens.