February is the month when dark days depart and when there are signs that spring is on its way. As the days get longer we are desperate to get out into the garden for some tidying and planting.
But as February is usually the coldest month of the year, hold off with any jobs involving plants that can be susceptible to the cold and wet. Focus on maintenance jobs and give borders a health check to ensure that they are tidy and healthy so plants are ready to spring into life come springtime.
Also clean paths and patios, keeping them algae free to reduce slip hazard.
Bulbs
- Lillies bulbs can be planted out towards the end of this month in pots or directly in the ground.
- It is not too late to plant alliums, that will flower later than those planted last autumn.
- Summer bulbs: Order bulbs now to plant them when all risk of frost has passed,
Lift Snowdrops
It is the right time to lift and divide congested populations of snowdrops, replanting smaller clumps at the same depth as they were before.
Cutting back and pruning
- Clear away old stems and seed-heads of perennials left to stand over winter, making space for new growth.
- Prune summer flowering shrubs
- Lavender: trim back the old flower stalks
- Sedums: cut the brown stems down to ground level
- Ornamental grasses: cut deciduous grasses down to the ground before new growth starts to emerge.
- Shrub roses: remove dead or diseased stems and cut back repeat-flowering roses by a third to a half.
- Prune late-flowering clematis (group 3 clematis): cut just above a pair of healthy buds about 30 to 60 cm above ground.
- Autumn fruiting raspberries: simply cut down all canes to the ground and apply a thick layer of homemade compost or mulch.
- Wisteria: February is the last month to give wisteria a winter prune. Cut back the stems to two or three buds.
- Fuchsia, penstemons: best to wait another month until you see signs of new growth.
Sowing Annuals
- It might still be too cold to sow outdoors. The end of the month is a good time to give annuals a head start, indoors in a warm sunny windowsill, or a heated greenhouse. Once the seedlings are big enough to handle, transfer them to small pots to grow, before moving them in late spring in the ground or bigger pots.
Chitting potatoes
Chitting is a way of encouraging potatoes to sprout before they are planted. That way they will crop a little earlier and will be more productive.
February is a good month to start chitting seed potatoes in a light, cool but frost free place. Potatoes will need 4 to 6 weeks of chitting before they are ready to plant. This will give them a chance to sprout and start putting on growth. They will be ready for planting in mid-March to April when the soli temperature warms up to 6-10 degrees.
Mulch perennial vegetables
Spread a thick layer of well-rotted manure or garden compost, around asparagus and globe artichoke. This will feed them, suppress weeds and retain moisture