
Capability Charlotte’s Gardening Calendar - February
February Gardening Jobs
February marks the transition between winter’s dormancy and spring. While frosty mornings are still common, this is a good time to prepare your garden for the warmer months ahead.
Pruning and Tidying
Prune summer-flowering shrubs such as roses, wisteria, and buddleia to shape them and encourage healthy growth. Remove any dead, damaged, or diseased branches from trees and shrubs. Leave the leaves on the borders and hold fire on cutting back your perennials, they are still providing a habitat for insects. Right now I’m watching blue tit eat the seeds off my Verbena bonariensis
Soil Preparation
Preparing your soil is key to a productive growing season. Remove weeds, and add well-rotted compost or manure to improve fertility and structure. Avoid working on the soil if it’s waterlogged, and when dry use a plank to spread your weight on the soil to avoid compaction. If you have raised beds, cover them with fleece or cloches to warm the soil in preparation for planting.
Early Planting and Sowing
Sow hardy seeds such as sweet peas, broad beans, and early lettuces indoors. Bare-root plants, including roses and fruit trees, can be planted now while they’re dormant. February is also ideal for dividing snowdrops “in the green” after they finish flowering.
Lawn Care
Lightly rake lawns on dry days to remove debris and prepare them for the growing season. Avoid mowing until the grass starts growing steadily. By tackling these tasks, you’ll give your garden a head start before it kicks off in spring.