Tips for the garden - February

Spring is in the air!

February is a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to the jobs we can do in the garden and very much determined by the weather. 

Possibly one of the coldest months of the year, it also shows spring promise with clear blue skies and sun before an icy blast takes us right back to armchair shopping.

The good news is that February is seen as a starter month, a preamble into spring where the soil is warmer and new shoots can be seen coming through.

Spring is definitely in the air, so much so that looking around the garden with the snowdrops pushing through and buds on shrubs, you’d almost make the mistake it is here.

There is plenty to do in the garden this month, but you can choose just how much or little you want to do before we race into March.

Pre-spring prep!

• Whilst not quite spring, we can deep clean the shed and greenhouse for the new season. Clear the shelves and pots and give them a good clean with Greenhouse Disinfectant.
• Check those old seed packets for mould and sprouting seeds and remove.
• Bird baths and feeders will also need a good clean before replenishing. You can do this as part of the shed and greenhouse deep clean.
• Invest in a water butt and compost bin. Water butts are great for storing rainwater in the summer months and the compost bin will provide much needed nutrition to the soil once broken down.
• If you already have a compost bin, keep turning it over. If you find your compost bin is overflowing, add a compost accelerator such as Vitax Compost Maker to accelerate the decomposition process, helping to produce a rich, dark compost.
• The greenhouse is a haven for pests if it has been heated over the colder months. As part of the deep clean, check for aphids and other bugs on your young shoots and remove. You could spray lightly with Organic Plant Guard to remove the bugs and create a continual barrier to keep them at bay.
• Clean the patio with a good Path & Patio Cleaner to remove mould and slimy patches.
• If you haven’t already done so, check your tools are up to the challenge of a full growing season. Book lawn mowers and other maintenance tools in for a service.
• Prune and cut back hedges and if you’re feeling creative, build a raised bed for future planting.
• Continue to keep off the grass! Walking on wet grass will damage the turf’s structure. If you need to navigate across it to other areas of the garden, use boards.

Soil preparation

• The growing season takes a lot of nutrients out of the soil and although it naturally restores those nutrients, you can give is a helping hand by adding organic matter.

• If you don’t have natural organic matter, add a good soil conditioner once the soil has started to warm such as 6X Natural Plant Feed. 
• After all the rain, the soil will be very wet and often 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.

Edible crops

• It’s time to chit those early potatoes. You’ll need them ready four-six weeks before planting out.
• Prepare vegetable beds by giving them a thorough weeding and then keep an eye out for new weeds. As the weather warms, weeds really come into their own!
• Harvest any winter vegetables that are still in the ground such as leeks and parsnips.
• Garlic and shallots can continue to the planted as these are hardier than most vegetables.
• Finish pruning fruit trees and soft fruit canes such apples, pears, and autumn fruiting raspberries.
• Do not prune plum, cherry trees etc until the summer.
• Protect any fruit trees with early blossom by covering with a fleece as February is a good month for late frosts.
• Fleece can also be used to protect any plants that are in the ground or containers which are prone to frost and snow.
• Plant bare root fruit canes. To help the roots establish quicker, add Vitax Rootmore with Mycorrhizal Fungi to the soil before placing the root ball directly on top. 
• In the greenhouse, seeds can now start to be sown in readiness for planting out. Tomatoes, chillies, and peppers are all good choices.

The flower garden

• If you have winter pots, lift them off the ground to help drain excess water and prevent them getting waterlogged. It also helps to keep slugs at bay!
• 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 as well as ivy. If you have pruned wisteria earlier in the winter, look out for side shoots which can be trimmed back.
• Remove the heads from amaryllis plants once the blooms have faded.
• Plant spring pots and containers with hardy bulbs such as forget-me-nots.
• Plant summer, yes that’s right - summer pots with hardy bulbs indoors. 
• 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. 
• In the greenhouse, start to sow sweet peas in grow tubes. The grow tubes will protect the long roots and when ready can be planted straight into the ground.
• Whilst in the greenhouse, summer bedding such as cosmos and dahlias can now be started. If you already have dahlia tubers, check for mould, and remove to prevent the spread to healthier tubers.
• Last, but not least, keep an eye on those houseplants. Whilst they don’t need watering and feeding as regularly in the winter months, they do need checking for pests and ensuring the soil is not too dry.

February is very much a dry run for the spring ahead. As long as you are prepared and plants and crops are ready for planting, or underway in the greenhouse or in propagators, then stepping into spring will be a breeze.

What we can do and when is very much weather dependent, so on these days just relax or potter indoors as spring is on its way!