Things to do in the garden in February:

Flower Garden

Plant seeds of Winter flowering annuals such as Pansy, Violas, Phlox, Alyssum, Primula etc so that they become established while the soil is still warm. Complete the division of Irises and tidy up plants, removing dead leaves. Do not put mulch around Irises and spray leaves with Liquid Copper if they show signs of fungus die-back. Buy spring bulbs as they appear in the stores & catalogues. Cut back roses 55-65 days before Easter, providing another dose of ‘Sudden Impact for Roses’ and a good watering so that they look great at Easter. If the weather continues to be very hot and dry, give best watering by soaking 2-3 times each week. Keep up the spraying for Aphids, Black Spot, and Downy Mildew on roses. Collect seeds.

Vegetable Garden

Plant seeds of Winter vegetables such as Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chinese Cabbage, Leeks and Lettuce. Spring onions, Parsnips, Beetroot and Shallots can also be planted. Trim lower leaves from Tomatoes to allow quicker ripening and pinch out the tops of the plants before they get too high. Feed late crops of beans and sweetcorn with a liquid fertiliser.

Home Orchard

Net trees to protect fruit from birds. Carry out summer pruning of stone fruit. Watch for infestations of ‘Pear Slug’ and treat with a pyrethroid such as Mavrick. Remove any weeds around Citrus trees. Cut out old raspberry canes and tie up new ones that will provide next year’s fruit.

Lawns

Keep the mower blades high during the hot days of Summer. Provide water where necessary and a dressing of ‘Sudden Impact for Lawns’ fertiliser to keep the grass green and growing. Start to prepare ground for new lawns to be sown in March and April.

• Ralph

Did you know? Did you know?
Phlox is a genus of over 60 plants almost all of North American origin. They bloom from spring to Autumn. They range from tall with hydrangea-like orbs of flowers, to others that are short groundcovers. Many give a mass of small flowers in summer that carpet areas with their blooms. They need regular watering and well-drained soil, but can withstand full sun and most climatic
zones. Some examples are shown below