Gardening tips for February
Spring is just around the corner this month, and we’re able to start enjoying more moments outside. February is a great time to make sure your outdoor space is maintained through prepping and organising. By putting in the work now, you can enjoy beautiful summer flowers and a tidy spring garden.
Before doing anything in your garden, watch out for the weather! Those further south may be able to start some outdoor gardening now, but for many the weather will likely stay cold and possibly frosty. Before starting some of the below jobs, you might need to wait a few more weeks or even until early March. You should avoid planting tender plants outdoors until all risk of frost has passed, but there’s still plenty of other things to do in the meantime to keep you busy.
What can I do in my garden in February?
After a cold few months, your garden will likely need a little bit of care to keep it looking healthy. Lawn and border maintenance can begin now!
Re-cut lawn edges using a half-moon edging iron.
Avoid walking on a frosty lawn as this can damage the blades of grass and work from planks to avoid compacting the lawn if wet.
Look out for water logging. Spike problem areas to make holes and brush in sharp sand to improve drainage.
In your borders, give your plants a welcome boost of nutrients and improve soil health, cover your borders with a layer of mulch, manure, or a soil improver.
Cut down deciduous grasses (ones that lose their leaves annually) to make way for fresh growth.
Ice isn’t the only hazard to look out for in the winter! Clean your paths, patios and decking from moss and debris, as they can make surfaces even more slippery when wet or frozen.
Have your garden shears become old and rusty? Did you lend your neighbour your favourite shovel last year but never got it back? There's nothing worse than getting ready to garden, only to realise you don’t have the right equipment! Make sure you assess your gardening tool kit to see if you have all the essentials or if anything needs to be replaced.
Keep planting new hedges, trees and shrubs to allow them time to establish before the summer. The Magnolia has beautiful, large, fragrant flowers which bloom in early spring, making a beautiful addition to any garden. These types of hardy plants are beneficial to wildlife, providing them with shelter and food.
Prune any winter flowering shrubs that have finished blooming to encourage strong new growth and you’ll get vibrant colour in next winter’s display.
Protect evergreens from heavy wind and snow with frost protection fleeces and stakes to keep them sturdy. After heavy snowfall, gently brush snow off any uncovered tree and shrub branches.
Flowers to plant this month
During winter months, infusing colour into our outdoor space is a great way to get us excited about spring. There are several flowers that you can plant now that add instant interest to your garden, and flowers that will bloom well into the arrival of warmer weather.
Start planting indoors during February for beautiful blooms when the warmer weather arrives! Summer flowering bulbs are incredibly easy to grow and can flower into many different colours and shapes, making for great DIY bouquets or for brightening up your outdoors.
Plant pots of Lilies for a fragrant summer display, and pots or baskets of upright or trailing Begonia tubers for summer colour. Start these off inside and let them grow indoors before moving outside in the coming weeks.
Plant new roses in February for a beautiful fragrance and cheerful yet delicate look during summer.
Pot any dahlia tubers indoors that you stored over winter to encourage growth.
Freshen your patio pots, hanging baskets, and window boxes with a cheerful display of early season primroses, violas, and pansies. Plant potted spring bulbs into any gaps for an extra burst of colour in the coming months.
You can plant ericaceous plants like azaleas, rhododendrons outside if the ground isn’t frozen – but it’s easier to grow them in large pots or containers filled with ericaceous compost. These plants are great for providing structure and a splash of colour in the garden.
Make sure more tender plants are protected from the cold with fleece or covers. This can offer an additional 2°C of protection.
What fruit and veg can I grow in February?
The main priority for growing fruit and vegetables in February is to prepare the ground/patch for sowing outdoors in spring.
Remove any weeds from your vegetable beds, then mulch them with plenty of peat-free soil improver or farmyard manure. Cover beds with black weed membrane to control weed growth and help warm the soil for when you’re ready to begin planting again.
Buy your flower and vegetable seeds to prepare yourself for future sowing. There’s plenty to choose from in our inspiring grow-your-own ranges that can give you a colourful and productive garden this summer, no matter how big or small your space.
Start chitting your seed potatoes to encourage new shoots to form before you start planting them in March. This can give you a heftier and early crop of tasty potatoes. To do this, stand them upright in an egg box or tray container, with the ‘eyes’ facing upwards, and keep them in a bright, frost-free place.
Cut old canes of autumn-fruiting raspberries to the ground so new stems can grow in their place. Prune apple and pear trees to improve structure and health, and to promote vigorous growth during the growing season. Soft fruit bushes such as gooseberries can also be pruned now with the aim to create an open goblet shape for stronger branches.
Plant new fruit trees and bushes, such as potted raspberry canes, and look forward to delicious, home-grown, ready-to-pick fruit from the garden all summer long.
Indoor gardening and propagation
While February is all about preparing our outdoor spaces, there’s lots that can be done for indoor growing and gardening.
Get ahead of the growing season by sowing seeds and growing young plants indoors. It’s one of the most economical ways to fill your tubs and baskets with cascading colour as soon as possible, giving you a head start on growing these plants outside when the weather warms.
Use a propagator to germinate seeds and encourage young plants and place them somewhere warm and bright like a windowsill, under an indoor light, or in a greenhouse.
Propagating summer flowering plants such as begonias and geraniums can add early colour to your garden.
You can also propagate your own flavoursome veg to cook in all your favourite dishes.
February flower seeds to sow now include sweet peas, lobelia, busy lizzies, and cosmos.
February produce seeds to sow now include chillies, tomatoes, sweet peppers, broad beans, peas, and leeks.
For a fun gardening project to keep you busy, why not sow herb seeds and create your own indoor herb garden?
Grow your own herbs such as oregano, rosemary, or mint, indoors on a sunny windowsill or greenhouse in small pots or seed trays filled with well-draining seed compost. These kinds of perennial herbs grow back every year, so if you start now, you can keep reaping the benefits for years to come. Herbs are delicious, nutritious, and can be used every time you cook.
If you’re looking for something a bit easier to nurture indoors, the Kalanchoe is an ideal houseplant. It has dainty, colourful flowers and is low maintenance, making it perfect for beginners or those with busier schedules.
We would love to see what you get up to in the garden this February, take a picture and tag us on socials with @dobbiesgardencentres for your chance to be featured on our social media channels.