There’s lots to do in your February gardening, whether it’s tidying up after the dark winter months, replacing your old garden fence or preparing your flower and vegetable beds for Spring. Our latest blog outlines everything you can be filling your spare time with this month.
Depending on where you live the temperature can differ greatly. February is often cooler and hard frosts are still common. It’s really important to protect vulnerable plants outdoors, so don’t sow seeds outdoors too early!
We’ve experienced some heavy snowfall in February this year. It’s important to brush snow off any hedges, shrubs and climbers, as the weight of the snow can splay the branches and spoil the shape.
Things to Do in the Garden in February
With the recent snowfall and harsh frosts, make sure you keep your bird feeders topped up and provide a good supply of fresh-water. The birds will appreciate being well fed! It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. You can use certain things from the house including fruit cake, dried nuts, mild grated cheese and cooked potatoes.
Planting New Trees and Shrubs
This month is an ideal time for gardening to plant bare-root deciduous trees and shrubs. February is considered to be a dormant season for the garden but obviously much closer to the warmer temperatures of the spring. Recent research has shown that it’s actually better to plant these trees and shrubs in February/March, rather than Autumn so that the new tree/shrub doesn’t sit for too long in the cold, damp soil where it may suffer, especially if it becomes waterlogged or cold for long periods.
Fertilizing Your Plants
Whilst the synthetic fertilisers available produce a quick tonic to get new plants started, the negative side is that these fertilisers don’t help the plants defence against pests and diseases, because the nutrients they provide get used up very quickly.
With organic fertilisers, the nutrients tend to be released more slowly and the goodness feeds the plant over a longer period while it builds in strength. Organic fertilisers are best applied two to three weeks before sowing so the nutrients immediately get to work.
Pruning Plants and Shrubs
Now is the best time to prune your plants and shrubs to be ready for spring growth. Birds will be looking for suitable nesting sites, so make sure to get your pruning finished by the end of February so as not to disturb them.
Any overgrown or misshapen deciduous trees and shrubs can be pruned to improve their health. Evergreens that have become overgrown can be pruned now, provided that they are completely hardy plants, more tender shrubs should be left until later in the year.
Weeding Your Garden
Take some time to clear out the weeds and moss from the flowerbeds, these can easily accumulate over the winter months. Cut down any dead growth from plants, new shoots will already be emerging towards the end of February, so the sooner the better to avoid any damage to new shoots.
February is The Perfect Time to Chit Your Potatoes
Chitting simply means encouraging the seed potatoes to sprout before planting. Start chitting in February, roughly six weeks before you intend to plant out the potatoes. Below is a great video outlining the reason why you should chit, and the best way to do it!
A Note From Us Here at Rosewood
We’re very excited to report that we’ve recently seen our first tomato seedlings peeking through! Hopefully, the chillies will make an appearance in the next few days. How are your seedlings coming along? We’d love to know! Pop over to our Facebook page and send us a message.
If this blog has you worrying that there’s so much to do in the garden before spring… Don’t panic! Our friendly and experienced team can help with the heavy stuff and get your garden looking its best. If you want to learn more about our gardening maintenance services, follow us on Facebook, Instagram or get in touch to have a chat.
That’s it for this month’s blogs, we hope you are enjoying a little insight into our gardening world. We’ll leave you with our favourite February blooms and our little tomato seedling!
