Need to know in February
February is a good month to start planning your garden for the year ahead. We’ve outlined what you can start to plant and other preparation you can do to get your outside space looking fantastic for the warmer months!
Planting
If you haven’t already done so, now is a good time to start thinking about what flowers you would like to have in your garden and you can even begin sowing some varieties. The majority of plants will need sowing indoors or in a green house at this time of year, however there are some hardy types that can be planted outside if the weather conditions permit it. It’s best to do your research or check with your supplier if you’re not sure.
If you’re looking for a particular species, now would be a great time to order it from a supplier to ensure you get it.
Vegetables
February is also a good month to think about any vegetables that you would like to enjoy this year. If you’re in a mild part of the UK and the weather is looking reasonable for the foreseeable future, you might want to consider planting carrots, broad beans, salad onions, parsnips, beetroot, peas and radishes. You will still need to plant these under cloches, or alternatively get them started in a greenhouse if you have one.
Machine Maintenance
Before the warmer months arrive, it’s good practice to get any garden equipment serviced. Save yourself from any future frustration by ensuring your lawn mower is running well, along with any grass strimmers, hedger cutters and the rest.
Pruning
There’s quite a lot you can prune in February to encourage good growth in the year.
If you have a wisteria or climbing rose, now is the ideal time to give it a trim. It’s also recommended to trim back other varieties of rose, mop-head and lace-cap hydrangeas, some species of clematis and certain summer-flowering shrubs. It’s also a good time to prune grape vines and bramble bushes if you like to enjoy a homemade blackberry crumble later in the year!
Lastly, apple and pear trees should be pruned towards the end of February, when the coldest weather has cleared. If you are due to pollard the tree, now would also be a suitable time.
General Maintenance
It is advisable to add mulch into your flowerbeds at this time of year to protect roots. It’s also the perfect time to clean up any bird boxes and feeders to ensure they are ready when needed.
Remember that February is still quite early to be considering mowing your lawn for the first time since the previous year. March is usually when the weather conditions improve and make it a more suitable time to give your lawn its first cut. There are a number of reasons behind this, but it will mostly benefit the quality of your grass and also the impact on vital insects and bugs that lay dormant in the ground over the winter.
