Garden tips for February

Time to kick-start those new season plans

Whilst we garden all-year round, many of us take a break during the winter months and take stock of the growing season that has passed and the new season which is about to begin.

Huddled in the warmth of our homes, new plans are hatched and the excitement continues to build for the upcoming season.

The good news is, we are almost there, and all the preparation and planning you put in during the winter months, will now start to take shape. Seeds will have been ordered, bare root plants bought and we can start planting summer bulbs.

The beginning of the year is a time for fresh starts and renewed energy, and we can’t wait to see what the next six to eight months brings. New shoots, new challenges, but most of all the complete joy that gardening brings.

As we move into February, the days are getting longer, which means more time in the garden to put in place all those new season plans!

Garden prep

• Keep putting food out and filling those water baths for the local wildlife and birds. Once empty, thoroughly clean before re-stocking to prevent the spread of disease.
• If you haven’t already, clean empty pots and containers ready for planting.
• Take a good look around the greenhouse. If you have been heating the greenhouse during the really cold spells, bugs and pests may have awakened. Clean all surfaces, especially around seed trays to prevent infestations.
• Greenhouse Disinfectant is a good, all-round cleaner which can be used to disinfect tools as you go.
• Clean the patio of mould and slimy patches.
• Ensure all your tools are up to the challenge of a full growing season. Book lawn mowers and other maintenance tools in for a service.
• Keep turning your compost heap. If you find your compost bin is overflowing, add a compost accelerator such as Vitax Compost Maker. This will accelerate the decomposition process, helping to produce a rich, dark compost.
• Winter is a great season to prepare soil for the growing season to come. If the weather is mild, add a good soil conditioner such as 6X Natural Plant Feed. This will give the soil a great boost and add nutrients which may have been lost through the wet weather.
• Soil can be very wet and water-logged at this time of the year, especially if you have clay soil. Adding grit to soil which is clay-based or heavy will improve drainage and the soil’s overall structure. Adding Clay Breaker will help to cut through the heaviness and condition the soil for spring without changing the soil’s natural pH.
• Check all old and harvested seeds to ensure they have not started to shoot or go mouldy and remove.
• You may have already ordered seeds, but bulbs and tubers can now be ordered.

The vegetable garden

• Harvest any winter vegetables such as leeks and parsnips.
• Protect any plants that are in the ground or containers with fleece as we are prone to more frosts and snow in the earlier months of the year.
• Prepare the ground for early peas and plant early crops of hardier vegetables such as broad beans and carrots. Check the ground isn’t water-logged as they will not grow well.  If the ground is too wet, hold off until the weather becomes milder.
• Garlic and shallots can be planted out in lighter soils that are starting to warm.
• Chit potato tubers in a light room to allow them to start sprouting.
• In the greenhouse, seeds can now start to be sown in readiness for planting out. Tomatoes, chillies and peppers can all be planted in seed trays.
• Salad leaves, herbs etc can continue to be grown in pots indoors for regular harvesting.
• As the warmer weather returns, check for weeds! They don’t need much encouragement to start growing and will creep back. Continually monitor and remove once they appear as before you know it, they will become unmanageable!

Feeling fruity

• As with vegetables, check any stored fruit such as apples and pears for damage and rot, and remove.
• Blossom will start to appear on fruit trees, protect against birds with net or fleece.
• Finish winter pruning of shrubs and trees. Apple and cherry trees, as well as autumn raspberries, can be cut back.
• Lift and divide clumps of rhubarb.

Flowers, shrubs and fruit trees

• February is pruning time. Clematis, buddleia and winter jasmine can all be pruned.
• Prune wisteria, roses and honeysuckle. Deciduous ornamental grasses and willow can now be cut back too.
• Remove faded flowers from winter plants.
• If you’ve pruned wisteria in autumn, look for side shoots and cut back.
• Plant hardy spring bedding. 
• You’ve cleaned all those pots and containers, so put them to good use. Allium and lilies can all be planted for bright displays come summer.
• Lifted dahlia tubers can now be checked for mould. Remove those with mould to prevent the spread to healthy tubers. You can now start to prep tubers for re-planting. Place healthy tubers in a light, warm spot, but ensure they don’t dry out.
• It’s bare root season! If you have ordered bare root plants, such as roses or hedging, now is the time to plant straight into the ground. Take a look at our ‘Planting a New Hedge’ and ‘Planting Roses’ blogs for handy tips. 
• Whilst we start to turn our attention to outdoor gardening, don’t forget those houseplants! As we turn up the heating, ensure plants are not placed near direct heat to prevent drying out.
• Don’t forget to feed. Houseplants do not need a lot and most can be fed with Organic All Purpose Plant Food, or House Plant Feed. Specialist feeds are also available including Orchid Bloom Feed.

With potential extreme weather fluctuations predicted for February, keep a careful eye on any plants that have already been planted out and continue to protect until we feel the warm hug of spring. Too chilly to venture out? There is still plenty to do indoors because as March approaches, most of the days will be spent in the garden.