Useful tips for gardening in February
You may think that gardening is only an activity you can get engaged with in the warmer months. However just because winter is upon us, it doesn’t mean that you have to pack your gardening tools away, or leave your garden until the sun comes out once more.
In fact, upkeep of your garden should continue all year round, and in winter it is a good idea to keep on top of pruning and weeding, as well as preparing your soil and sowing seeds in good time for spring. If you have left your garden to become a little unruly since the summer, and aren’t sure where to start, simply take a look at these tips for gardening in February, and make sure you garden stays looking great all year round.
Protect your plants
When a cold snap is just around the corner, it’s a good idea to make sure you take care of the more delicate plants in your garden. If you don’t they may become damaged and difficult to bring back to life. In fact, even in mild winters, or protected areas of your garden, it is a good idea to gather your most tender plants and bring them inside.
If you don’t have a suitable area to keep plants in your home, there are still measures to be taken to help them survive harsher outdoor conditions. Wrap terracotta pots in bubble wrap or fleece to stop them from cracking, group them together so they won’t topple in strong winds and move them to the sunniest spot in you garden to allow them to warm up when the sun does shine.
Keep an eye on any shrubs and small trees to check that they are not becoming loose in the soil and tend to them if needed, in order to secure them again. You can erect a windbreak to keep them out of the wind and mulches are useful to keep roots from becoming damaged in the cold. Mulching with compost is also useful to give plants a boost and get them ready to regrow and flower in spring.
Give your garden a good tidy
Winter is the perfect time to tidy up a garden that may have become overgrown or untidy. Use this time to prune plants such as rose bushes and Wisteria. Cut back any branches of trees that might have grown too much or that block out the sun. Cut old foliage and any damaged or diseased stems of plants. Give sheds and fences a new lick of paint, pull up weeds that may have grown in between cracks in decking or paving and treat with a weed killer.
Wash empty pots and get rid of slime and debris, tidy up sheds, and clean your patio by giving it a good scrub or by using a pressure washer.
Plan ahead
If you wish to grow certain plants and flowers in your garden you need to do the preparation now. Fruits and vegetables can be grown early but you should prepare the soil in advance. Place newspaper or cloche over the soil to warm it up for a few weeks, and keep it loose and crumbly with regular raking. When you sow use a good quality topsoil to give your plants and flowers the best chance of growth. Start sprouting potatoes now, sow peas for an early crop, plant fruit bushes in a sheltered position and use a good fertiliser once a week to keep ensure they have all the nutrients they need.
Spend time planning how you would like your garden to take shape and order your seeds now. Spring flowering plants can also be purchased now, in fact you can order many plants and seeds over winter now to avoid a rush later.
Look after your lawn
It is easy to stop caring for your lawn during the colder weather however it is a good idea to keep it trimmed and make sure you don’t walk on lawned areas if it has been snowing as this could damage the grass underneath it. If you are planning on growing your lawn for summer you may wish to start looking at lawn turf or grass seed and preparing your garden for laying this now too.
Keeping your garden in good shape this winter is a great idea, and if you put a little bit of effort in now you are sure to reap the benefits when spring arrives.