What Needs Doing In The February Garden

Prepping for action is the focus for February. Sharpen & oil your garden tools. Clean & organize the shed & potting containers!

Start seed flats under glass indoors. If you’ve mail ordered plants, they should have arrived or will arrive any time now. They will usually look rather pathetic but do not despair as that’s what they look like in dormancy. Once they’re planted properly, they should florish nicely when they’re supposed to.

February can still bring us snow one day and mild sunny weather the next, but it holds the promise that spring is on it's way. Early spring bulbs like Crocuses and snowdrops start filling the garden. There are more than 70 varieties of crocuses, and many varieties of Snowdrops which spread easily once they become established.

Many winter flowering shrubs are in season such as Witch Hazel, spicy scented Wintersweet, Lily of the Valley and dwarf everygreen sweet box. Place these plants near walkways so you can enjoy their sweet fragrances everyday!

Perennials & Tubers

Sow early blooming types such as Aubretia & Geranium.

Mist stored tubers such as dahlias, begonias & Gladiolas if they are shriveling and discard any that look moldy & feel soft.

Lift and divide perennials carefully.

Perennial Garden Plant Selector Tool

Annuals

Start indoor seedlings of Statice, Dusty Miller, Pinks, Ornamental Peppers, Lobelia, Geranium, Gerbera, Heliotrope,& Petunia.

Increase light & water to Geraniums & Fuchsias, that where forced into dormancy, to start regrowth.

Annual Garden Plant Selector Tool

Vegetables, Fruit & Herbs

Start lettuce, spinach, radishes & corn in cold frames.

Start indoor seedlings of tomatoes.

Bulbs

Many winter bulbs should be starting to poke through the ground now.

Bring potted spring bulbs like Hyacinths, daffodils & tulips indoors to bloom. Plant Paper White Narcissus bulbs in gravel & water for fragrant indoor blooms in 6 weeks.

After Amaryllis finishes blooming, cut old flower but not the leaves. Put in sunny location Water & fertalize until end of summer so it will bloom next year.

Plant Lily bulbs.

Pruning

Pampas type grasses should be cut down to about 1 foot above ground.

Prune summer flowering Clematis (Group C) to 3 or 4 buds above ground. Check that supports are secure.

Begin pruning summer blooming trees and shrubs including ornamental, bush & cane fruits, hardy fuchsia, butterfly bush.

Prune hybrid tea roses when the Forsythia blooms.

Trees & Shrubs & Climbers

Plant new trees.

Prune Fruit trees.

Indoor Plants

Group indoor plants in trays filled with gravel and water. This increases humidity which helps plant during the dry season. Repot, prune and fertilize.

Protection

Old Christmas evergreen boughs make good insulation around perennials & shrubs.

Winter watering is important if the weather has been dry, or if plants are in a location that is sheltered from rain.

Pest Control

Start removing any annual weeds now.

Keep an eye out for any disease or fungus that may be starting.

Try not to use any pesticides as they may kill the eggs of beneficial bugs too. Instead read up on organic ways to deal with bugs & diseases.

Remove fallen Rose petals and dispose…do not add to compost.

Rake up any remaining leaves and add to a separate leaf compost.