What to do in the garden in February

Spring is fast approaching, and February is the month to get your pruning shears out and prep before active growth starts.

Plants and Flowers

• Start Begonia tubers into growth by placing them in small pots or trays of compost. Position the tubers just below the soil surface with the indented side facing upwards. Once they’ve put on a good amount of growth and all risk of frost has passed, they can be planted out into their final positions.
• Start to prune your roses before they start actively growing. Take a look at our rose growing guide to learn which type of rose you have and how to prune roses.
• Prune your summer-flowering Clematis before active growth begins. Evergreen Clematis should be pruned in the spring after flowering. For more information about pruning clematis take a look at our ‘How to grow Clematis’ article.
• Plant snowdrops ‘in the green’ now for winter flowers next year. Snowdrops establish better when lifted with some top-growth still remaining.

Fruit and Veg

• Cut your autumn-fruiting raspberry plants to the ground to encourage fresh new growth and abundant fruits this year. Now is your last chance to order more raspberry canes for this year.
• Start chitting early potatoes by standing them on end in an egg box. Plant them out into potato grow bags or in the ground. Read our ‘How to grow potatoes’ article for more advice.

Trees, Shrubs and Grasses

• Now is your last chance to prune apple trees and pear trees whilst they are still dormant. Pruning should be carried out annually to keep your fruit trees productive and to prevent branch congestion.
• Prune winter-flowering shrubs such as Chimonanthus (Wintersweet) after they have finished flowering.
• If you need to, move deciduous trees and shrubs now before they start into active growth. Try to dig up as much of the root ball as you can to help the plant establish well.
• Cut back the colourful winter stems of Cornus (Dogwood) and Salix down to their bases – approximately 5cm from the ground. This will encourage more young and colourful wood for next winter.
• Trim deciduous hedges before the birds start nesting.
• Cut back the old foliage from deciduous ornamental grasses before growth begins in earnest. They can can be cut back to within 2cm of the ground. Take care not to cut into any emerging new growth.
  

  Organisation

  • On rainy days do some garden planning! Have a think about any new bedding plants, shrubs or perennial plants you would like and order plug plants now ready for spring despatch.
  • Now is your last chance to order fruit trees, asparagus crowns, onion sets and garlic bulbs in time for spring planting.

  What jobs do you like to tick off your list in February? Let us know in the comments below, or share them with us over on our Facebook page.