Gardening Jobs for February
February 09, 2023

It may still be winter but there are still plenty of gardening jobs for February. Prepping for the spring season is important if you want your plot to really thrive.

But if you’re not sure what to do in the garden in February, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with this useful guide, as well as all the gardening equipment you need.

What to Do in the Garden in February

We’ve condensed all the things you can get on with this month into four main sections, so you can easily focus on what’s most important for you.

Plant Raspberry Canes

Raspberries aren’t cheap to buy, so growing your own will help you save money as well as provide enjoyment. Plus, the taste of perfectly ripe home-grown fruit always beats shop-bought, which is often not in season and so has much less flavour. 

February is the ideal time for planting bare-root raspberry canes in a sunny or partly shaded spot with well-drained soil. Most will take a couple of seasons to establish before they bear fruit, but if you have long-cane raspberries you’ll have plenty of large, juicy fruits to pick this summer.

Plant against a wall, fence or support wires attached to stakes. Dig a 30cm wide by 8cm deep hole and spread out the roots. Cover and water well and space your raspberry canes 60cm apart. Another method is to plant a few canes in a big pot and tie the tops together with twine so you end up with a teepee shape.

Flowers, Trees and Shrubs

Cut back dogwoods to within one or two buds of last year’s growth, leaving a stubby framework.

Give summer and autumn blooming heathers a subtle trim to keep them compact and bushy.

Get rid of any dead flower heads from mophead and lacecap hydrangeas. Prune until you have a pair of healthy buds, then cut off any dead, diseased or spindly stems.

Prune buddleia to promote better blossoming in the summer. Cut back the stems to within 10cm of the permanent low framework.

Keep brown aphids on conifers under control by using a Universal Bug Killer.

In the Kitchen Garden

Extend the growing season by starting off your vegetable seedlings early with a windowsill propagator kit. This will enable you to sow seeds of tomatoes, chilli peppers, sweet peppers and aubergines so you can enjoy harvesting them sooner. 

Plant shallots in sheltered gardens and space sets (small bulbs) 15cm apart with a gap of 30cm between rows. This will give them plenty of room to grow alongside one another. 

Sow pea seeds 5cm deep in a sheltered area outdoors and cover with cloches to protect from frost.

Plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers in a sunny or partly shaded part of the garden.

Don’t Forget…

Get rid of dandelions and other long-rooted weeds from your garden with a dandelion weeding tool.

Prevent slugs and snails from munching on perennial shoots by surrounding individual plants with a thin scattering of slug pellets.

Aerate soil compacted by wet winter weather with a garden fork. Once you’ve turned over the soil with your fork, spread on some Blood, Fish & Bone fertiliser to replace nutrients washed away by rain.

 

Now you know what to do in the garden in February, make sure you have all the equipment you need to help you get your jobs done. And remember, when next month comes around we’ll be right here with advice for March and beyond, so you can keep on top of your plot all year round.