February in the garden
February marks the transition from winter to early spring. While frost and potentially snow remain threats, lengthening daylight hours signal it’s time to prepare for the growing season ahead. Here are the essential tasks to focus on this month:
1. Prepare Vegetable Beds
As soil begins to warm, clear any remaining debris and work in organic matter like well-rotted manure or compost. Cover prepared areas with black plastic or cloches to warm the soil for early sowings. Check soil pH and add amendments if needed.
2. Start Sowing Seeds
Begin sowing hardy annuals, vegetables, and herbs under cover. Good candidates include:
- Tomatoes, peppers and aubergines (on a heated propagator)
- Broad beans and peas (in root trainers)
- Lettuce, spinach, and radishes (under cloches)
- Sweet peas, antirrhinums, and cosmos (in modules)
3. Prune Winter-Flowering Shrubs
Once flowering has finished, prune winter-flowering shrubs like mahonia, winter jasmine, and heather. Cut back wisteria side shoots to 2-3 buds from the main stem. Late February is also ideal for pruning hardy evergreen hedges before birds start nesting.
4. Plant Bare-Root Trees and Shrubs
February is your last opportunity to plant bare-root trees, shrubs, and roses while they remain dormant. Ensure they’re planted at the correct depth with adequate support if needed, and water well even if the ground seems moist.
5. Divide Perennials
Split and replant congested clumps of herbaceous perennials like hostas, asters, and geraniums before spring growth accelerates. Dividing now gives plants time to establish before the growing season while still being visible above ground.
6. Care for Your Lawn
If the ground isn’t frozen or waterlogged, repair lawn edges and brush off worm casts on dry days. Consider the first gentle rake to remove moss and debris, but hold off on mowing until March unless grass reaches 5-6cm during a mild spell.
7. Protect Blossoms from Frost
Early-flowering fruit trees and shrubs like plums and cherries may begin blossoming in late February. Keep horticultural fleece handy to protect these blossoms during sudden frost warnings to ensure a good fruit crop later in the year.
8. Force Rhubarb
Cover rhubarb crowns with forcing jars, buckets, or large pots to exclude light. This encourages tender, pink stems that will be ready to harvest several weeks earlier than unforced plants.
9. Check Stored Tubers and Bulbs
Inspect stored dahlias, begonias, and other summer bulbs for signs of rot or drying out. Slightly dampen very dry tubers and remove any showing signs of disease. Late February is the time to start potting up dahlia tubers for early growth.
10. Maintain Garden Wildlife Support
Continue feeding birds as natural food remains scarce. Clean out existing bird boxes before the nesting season begins in earnest. Create habitats for beneficial insects by leaving some areas of leaf litter and installing bug hotels.
Weather Watch: February weather in the UK is notoriously unpredictable – from mild spring-like days to heavy snow. Always check forecasts before embarking on weather-sensitive tasks and have protection ready for tender plants when frost is predicted. Work with nature rather than against it, using milder days for outdoor tasks while saving indoor garden planning and maintenance for inclement weather.