February in the Garden
The mild winter is continuing this month as we see daffodils already flowering along with snowdrops and crocuses. It may be unusual, but it’s creating some lovely unexpected colour in the garden. And that other sign that spring is round the corner is just about to start; the Six Nations Rugby!
February Planting
It’s a great time of year for hellebores; those beautiful spring-flowering plants that grow well in shade and are great for brightening up the garden at this rather dark time of year. They’re flowering early this year due to mild conditions, so get planting now to see a display very soon. If you already have hellebores in the garden, you can increase their spread by dividing the plants. Divide into equal sections, making sure each section has a growth point, and water well in their new location. Hellebores are woodland plants and grow well in shade, giving a nice bit of colour under trees.
As the plants start flowering, prune older, larger leaves to reveal the flowers underneath.
Because of this wet, warm weather, it’s actually an acceptable time to start planting herbaceous plants. They won’t deal well with frost though, so check your local forecast for a couple of weeks ahead before planting.
General Garden Maintenance
It’s that warm, wet weather again; the weeds are enjoying it too! So you may find you need to get out there and start weeding a little early. You can also finish off the last of your leaf clearance from lawns and borders before the spring season properly begins. And keep on cutting that grass on regular basis, as long as it’s not too damp and marshy.
Fruit and Veg
It’s a good time to start prepping your veg patch for planting later in the year. Dig over the ground and put in compost and a soil conditioner to create drainage and add extra nutrients.