The February Garden and what to do.

With gardens still being lashed by rain and wind, you can be forgiven for wanting to stay inside with a hot mug of tea and a good book rather than getting  muddy boots on and heading out into the garden.

Whatever the weather though, springs arrival is imminent, the days are getting longer and everywhere you look tiny snowdrops will have pushed themselves through the ground soon to be followed by crocus and daffodils to lift our hearts and minds.

While many of our February tasks focus on preparing for spring, there are sowing and growing jobs that can be done not only outside but indoors if that rain hasn’t eased off.

Sowing for eating.

Many of us are keen to start sowing as soon as possible, but in my experience, it can be tricky if you don’t have a heated greenhouse or grow lights. Seedlings like tomatoes often stretch towards the light and become long and spindly if started too early. I’d recommend waiting until later this month or early March to sow more tender crops.

Seeds I like to start sowing now include: Chillis, aubergines, broad beans, lettuce, beetroot, spinach, spring onions and celeriac. 

Chillis will need bottom heat to germinate and to be kept in the warm, the others can be germinated inside and then transferred to a cold frame or unheated greenhouse. Living in the slightly milder area of the South West, I can sow beetroot, spinach and spring onions directly outside, although I do like to warm up the soil before planting and I make sure I have some fleece on hand to throw over the top if a frost is forecast. 

For smaller seeds like chillis and aubergines I recommend using Durstons Peat-Free Seed and Cutting Compost as the texture is perfect for the small roots to grow through and the amount of feed is just right for tiny plants.

Top tip – if you haven’t got any grow lights try this trick – Cut out a cardboard box so its only got 3 sides, cover these with kitchen foil, place your seed in this on the windowsill and your seedlings will be able to access maximum light!

My favourite everlasting crop – I absolutely love Jerusalem Artichokes. Not only are they a superfood but super easy to grow and will come back year after year. They have nothing to do with the mediterranean globe artichokes but are actually related to the sunflower and produce gorgeous bright yellow flowers. Plant tubers now in a border or veg patch enriched with Durstons  Farmyard Manure and you will have food throughout next winter. They can be a bit thuggish so plant them where they can’t spread out too much. (word of warning, if you’re not used to eating them, start slowly as they can cause unpleasant side effects!) I love to make them into soups or roast in oil with my spuds!

Sowing for flowers –as with some vegetable seeds, you can sow ornamentals now, but many will need heat and access to lights if without a greenhouse. My absolute favourite to sow now is the Sweet Pea. These are hardy seeds that need decent room for their roots to grow so I use toilet roll tubes filled with Durstons Peat Free Multi-Purpose Compost. They can go outside in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse, but I use a plastic storage crate with the lid on till they germinate and some holes for drainage.

Sowing Snapdragons (Antirrhinum) – These are gorgeous flowers that need a fairly long growing season, a bit like chillis.  They have become so popular as a cut flower in recent years and if you grow from seed, you will have a much wider choice than buying plants from the Garden Centre.

How to sow – 

• Sow the seed thinly on the surface of damp, Durstons Peat Free Seed & Cutting Compost. 
• Don’t cover the seeds as they need light to germinate. 
• Place the tray in a heated and covered propagator or seal inside a polythene bag until after germination takes place which can take between 10-21 days.
• Transplant seedlings when they have their true leaves into small pots, 7.5cm filled with Durstons Peat Free Multi-Purpose compost.
• Gradually harden them off to being outside before planting out once all risk of frosts have gone.

Support Your Plants! – Wind as well as rain has been a key feature of this winter so now is an optimum time to check your plant supports. Over time, plant ties can become brittle, break, become loose, or too tight, cutting into the bark. Checking now will stop your plants from further damage. I like to use cut up old tights as they are super stretchy but really strong and won’t cut into the stems. Whilst your checking ties, now’s a perfect opportunity to remove any weeds from the plants base and top up with a good layer of mulch such as Durstons Soil Conditioner.

If this grey winter has got you down, then add some scent to the garden to really lift your spirits. Winter flowering shrubs often have the strongest perfume as they need to attract any pollinators that are hiding. Not always the prettiest plant, many are evergreen, shade tolerant and low maintenance. My favourites to plant now include:

Sarcoccoca Confusa – sweet little evergreen shrub also known as Winter Box due to its small glossy green leaves. It has tiny, white spidery flowers that fill the air with perfume. Plant in a pot filled with Durstons Multi-Purpose Compost with added John Innes.

Lonicera Fragrantissima – a lemon sherbet scented shrub that flowers December through to March. Scent is best trained against a south facing wall, but make sure it’s near a path or door to make the most of the fragrance.

Viburnum Bodnantense ‘Dawn’ – if you’re a fan of all things pink then this is the one for you. Candy scented, tiny pink flowers pack a perfume punch on a chilly winters’ day. Not very glamorous the rest of the year but perfect for a pick me up during the drabbest winter.

General Garden Jobs

Pruning- try to finish any winter pruning of roses and fruit trees this month (See Januarys what to do) and don’t forget to mulch afterwards.

Bare root planting. As with pruning you’ve still time to buy and plant bare root roses, shrubs and fruit bushes. Not only are these cheaper but they are much easier to plant and you get a much bigger variety to choose from. Plant them as soon as possible in the ground or in a large container ideally using Durstons Multi-Purpose with John Innes if in a pot.

Wash pots, clean and sharpen tools and sort your shed out ready for the big push in spring!