This Month in the Garden - February
This month there are signs of the approaching spring, with bulbs appearing and birds and wildlife waking up as light levels. There’s plenty to do this month in preparation for the season ahead. Outdoors, the garden is coming to life again, and it's time to prune shrubs, such as wisteria.
This month there are signs of the approaching spring, with bulbs appearing and birds and wildlife waking up as light levels. There’s plenty to do this month in preparation for the season ahead. Outdoors, the garden is coming to life again, and it's time to prune shrubs, such as wisteria.
Continue to plant shrubs, trees, climbers, hedging plants and roses. Avoid planting roses in areas where roses were previously growing, otherwise new introductions may suffer from replant diseases. This occurs when a plant is replaced with the same type. For most plants this does not cause a problem, however, for others, most notably roses and others in the rose family the new plant fails to thrive or put on decent growth. The roots of the previous plant need only to have been in the soil for a few months for the problem to occur.
Dahlia tubers stored over winter (or bought this year) can be started into growth. Place them in a light, warm place to sprout before planting. They will need additional misting with a spray-bottle of water to stop them drying out. Click here to visit our Bulbs and Seeds page where you will find a selection of beautiful Dahlias, Gladioli, Lillies and lots more.
Lily bulbs can be planted in pots for flowers this summer. After growing on indoors or in a cool greenhouse they can be moved onto the patio when in flower so that you can enjoy the blooms.
Bulbs coming up in the rock garden or in containers may benefit from overhead protection from the rain and snow. A sheet of glass or Perspex placed on piles of bricks will do the job.
Hardy annuals can be sown in pots or modules to provide colour.
Place gladioli corms in seed trays or boxes and place in a light, warm (around 10ºC/50ºF) spot to encourage them to sprout before planting. This will ensure an earlier display.
Sweet peas can be sown under cloches, in a cold frame, or in a cool room in the house. Any sweet peas that were sown earlier in the autumn can now be potted.
Root cuttings can be taken of Papaver (perennial poppies), Verbascum (mullein), Acanthus (bear’s britches) and Phlox.
Soft tip cuttings can be taken from fuchsias this month.
If you do have any seedlings and/or cuttings in the greenhouse, make sure they are getting the maximum light available, or else they will become weak and leggy. If necessary, turn them once a day so that they get light on both sides. This will stop them leaning over towards the light, and keep them upright and compact.
Don’t forget to prick out seedlings before they get too crowded and then to pot them on as individual transplants as soon as they are large enough.
Plug plants are now available for sale. They can be grown on in your glasshouse, being a relatively cheap source of large numbers of plants, while avoiding the need for propagation facilities and labour. Click here to visit our Kinder Plug plant website page.
Prune winter-flowering shrubs that have finished flowering.
Prune Wisteria. Wisteria needs regular pruning to keep the growth and size under control, but it will also improve the flowering display. Although it seems complicated, wisteria pruning is quite simple if you follow the RHS simple guide – click here for details.
Divide bulbs such as snowdrops, and plant those that need planting ‘in the green’.
Prune hardy evergreen hedges and renovate overgrown deciduous hedges. Click here to view the RHS website guide to pruning evergreens.
Cut back deciduous ornamental grasses left uncut over the winter. Evergreen ornamental grasses will just need a tidy up. Click here to view the RHS website guide.
If the weather is warm you may need to start mowing. Set the cutting height at its maximum and only mow when the grass is dry.
Re-cut lawn edges to crisp up the appearance of the garden and save work later in the season.
Turf can be laid provided the soil is not too wet or frosty. Work from planks to avoid compacting the soil. Do not walk on the newly laid turf and leave undisturbed for several weeks to allow new roots to establish.
Prepare seed beds for new lawns to be seeded later in the spring, but only attempt this if the ground is not too wet.
Continue to deadhead winter-flowering pansies and other winter bedding. Pansies will carry on into the spring and even to early summer if attended to frequently.
Improve soil by spreading compost or manure over beds and forking in. Mulching with a deep layer of organic matter helps to condition the soil, suppress weed growth, insulate plant roots from temperature fluctuations and conserve soil moisture during the summer. Lighter soils can be mulched now, but heavier soils are best left until March when the soil is warmer. Click here to visit our soil and compost page.
Towards the end of the month you can top dress beds and borders with a balanced fertiliser such as Growmore or Blood, Fish and Bone to feed perennials as they start back into growth. Click here to visit our fertiliser page.
Keep a check on planted containers to see if they require watering as pots that are sheltered may miss out on rainfall. Keep pots moist, but not wet.
If snow falls, knock it off the branches of evergreen shrubs and conifers to prevent branches breaking under its weight.
Consider purchasing water butts now ready for the summer. Rainwater is particularly useful for watering acid-loving, ericaceous plants (tap water is often slightly alkaline).
Prepare vegetable seed beds and sow some vegetables under cover. (Our full range of vegetable plants will be available end March/early April.)
Chit potato tubers. Click here to visit our edibles page and view our range of seed potatoes.
Protect blossom on apricots, nectarines and peaches. Once they start into growth in spring, flowers and buds are especially vulnerable to frost and may need protection to crop well.
Net fruit and vegetable crops to keep the birds off.
Check that glasshouse heaters are
functioning properly. A maximum-minimum thermometer enables accurate monitoring
of your greenhouse temperature. A minimum temperature of 5 degrees C (42F) is
required to prevent Fuchsias, Pelargoniums and other tender plants being killed
off by the cold. Higher temperatures (at least 12°C/54°F) will be needed for
tropical plants.
Ventilate the greenhouse on sunny
days to reduce the risk of fungal infection.
Clear leaves and twigs from
guttering on greenhouses and sheds.
Autumn is the perfect time to plant trees, allowing them to allow them to establish before the hot, dry weather of the following seasons. There are many trees that will provide interest throughout the seasons, displaying fresh spring/summer growth and blossom. Trees such as Japanese maples have glorious, vibrant autumn textures and colours. Planting is best done between October and April, but avoid planting in waterlogged or frozen soil. Container grown plants can be planted any time of the year, but are easier to care for if planted in autumn or winter as they need less watering than ones planted in spring or summer. It is important when selecting your tree to check its suitability for the position that you have in mind. Our experienced horticulturalists will be happy to give advice when required.
By the end of the summer lawns are in need of some maintenance and looking after. Autumn is the time to treat the lawn and prepare it for the seasons ahead. Hot sun, little rainfall and general wear and tear all take their toll, but by following our easy guide you can prepare your lawn for the seasons ahead.
Are you wanting to bring some more life into your home, but you’re not sure where to start? It’s been proven that introducing plants into your space can help reduce stress, improve your concentration and productivity and boost your overall mood.
Lawns can sometimes begin to look rather the worse for wear as we reach the height of the summer. The combination of hot weather and the amount of time we spend using the grass for various activities can begin to take it’s toll, however all is not lost because with a simple lawn care programme it will soon be looking healthy again.
Summer baskets filled with an array of bedding plants such as geraniums, petunias and begonias etc bring colour and interest to any garden. Once you have planted up/ purchased your baskets you will want to enjoy them throughout the season and extend their lifespan for as long as possible. With just a little bit of regular maintenance you can ensure that your displays are the envy of all the neighbours!
Spring is finally in evidence as plants begin to bloom. Expect the inevitable April showers this month, but with sunny days too when you can turn your attention to the lawn. It’s an exciting month, with indoor-sown seeds well into growth and it’s also time to start sowing outdoors. Just watch out for late frosts…
Early spring is an ideal time to plant herbaceous perennials, including Geranium, Astrantia and Oriental poppies.
The garden could need protecting from frosts, gale-force winds and heavy rain in January. Check stakes, ties, fleeces and other supports for damage and consider moving plants to sunnier positions to maximize light. Don’t forget to keep feeding the birds, food is scarce for them over winter.
Frost, rainfall and winds are increasingly common, sunshine hours are much reduced and it can be bitter with a risk of snow in December. You may not want to be working outside at this time of year, but luckily there’s not a lot to do. Keep an eye on winter protection and if you have a greenhouse, make sure the heater works.
