February Gardening Jobs: What to do in your garden this month
We’ve made it through January’s gloom, and February is here to sprinkle a bit of pre-spring magic into our lives. As snowdrops and early daffodils begin to brighten our days, and with daylight lingering a tad longer, it’s the perfect time to roll up our sleeves and give our gardens some love.
Let’s dive into some February gardening tasks that will set the stage for a blooming marvellous spring.
1. Preparing your beds
Before we get too excited about planting, let’s give our garden beds a little TLC:
- Soil TLC: A few weeks before sowing, gently turn the soil with a fork. This helps break up clumps and encourages any sneaky weed seeds to sprout, making them easier to remove.
- Weed out the unwanted: Once those cheeky weeds pop up, pull them out to give your future plants the best start.
- Compost boost: Spread a layer of all-purpose compost over the soil and rake it in, removing any debris. This enriches the soil, giving your plants the nutrients they crave.
- Warm things up: Cover your beds with horticultural fleece or a plastic sheet for a couple of weeks before sowing. This warms the soil and helps it dry out if it’s been a bit soggy.
2. Sowing seeds
February is a great time to start sowing certain seeds:
- Broad beans: Towards the end of the month, if the weather’s mild or you’ve pre-warmed your soil, sow broad bean seeds directly outdoors.
- Salvia: Sow salvia seeds indoors in a bright, warm spot. They’ll be ready to plant out around April or May.
- Basil and tomatoes: Start basil and tomato seeds in pots on a sunny windowsill towards the end of the month. Using covered trays can help with germination, especially if temperatures dip at night.
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3. Tidying, pruning, and prepping
A little maintenance now will pay off later:
- Prune winter-flowering shrubs: Once they’ve finished blooming, trim back any damaged or weak shoots close to the base. This encourages healthy new growth.
- Wisteria wonders: To promote better flowering, cut back wisteria side shoots to two or three buds.
- Clean up: Give your pots and tools a good scrub to prevent diseases and mould. Plants appreciate a clean home as much as we do!
4. Chitting potatoes
Get a head start on your potato crop:
- Chitting: Place early seed potatoes in a tray or egg carton with the end that has the most ‘eyes’ facing up.
- Sprout selection: When you’re ready to plant, keep about four of the strongest-looking shoots per seed, gently rubbing off the weaker ones.
For more detailed guidance on chitting and growing potatoes, check out our guide.
