John’s February Jobs for the Garden
It’s so lovely to see the Snowdrops shooting away at the moment. I’ve even seen a few Daffodils budding up and in flower and, even at 5pm, it’s noticeable how different the light is…how glorious! All early signs that Spring is just around the corner and it’s time to get back into the garden and prepare for the season ahead, that will soon come around!
Prune Hydrangea Paniculata - Trace the stems back down to the joint and prune a couple of inches up (5cm).
Plant Berry Bearing Plants – A great way to naturally feed the birds and also provide interest around the garden during the Winter months.
Pot-up Summer Bulbs – Towards the back end of the month you can pot up summer bulbs and tubers, just keep them in a frost-free environment.
Sharpen Tools – Get your tools cleaned off, oiled and give them a good sharpen, ready for the season ahead.
Bird Feeders – Keep them topped up and don’t forget to give them a clean in between use.
Plan Your Planting – On the wetter days it’s perfect to grab a brew and pick up some gardening books and start making a list of some of the plants you’d love to grow for the year ahead.
Cover Vegetable Beds – Covering them over with black plastic helps keep the soil dry and also the cover absorbs the limited amount of sunshine, helping to warm up the soil ready for sowing.
Wisteria Pruning – Time to take back any long wispy shoots to 3 buds from the joint. This way, after flowering, it will encourage new growth from lower down, towards the center.
Slug Defenses – Once the temperature lifts, slugs and snails will begin to come out again. Look at making a hedgehog shelter with food and water, or even a pond to encourage frogs, aiding natural help with the battle against slugs.
Grit Paths – The temperature can go up and down, so keep your paths gritted ready for those frosty mornings.
Happy gardening!