Fruit & vegetable garden
Flower garden
Glasshouse, conservatory and houseplants
Trees, shrubs, roses, climbers and hedges
Lawns and meadows
Ponds
Wildlife gardening
Garden structures
Gardening for children
Top 10 jobs
1. Prepare vegetable seed beds, and sow some vegetables under cover
2. Chit potato tubers
3. Protect blossom on apricots, nectarines and peaches
4. Net fruit and vegetable crops to keep the birds off
5. Prune winter-flowering shrubs that have finished flowering
6. Divide bulbs such as snowdrops, and plant those that need planting 'in the green'
7. Prune Wisteria
8. Prune hardy evergreen hedges and renovate overgrown deciduous hedges
9. Prune conservatory climbers
10. Cut back deciduous grasses left uncut over the winter
February's weather
Glossary of terms
ClocheCrown
Drill
Fleece (horticultural)
In-the-green
Pollination
Seedbed
Fruit and vegetable garden
Fruit
This is the last month to prune apple and pear trees.
Prune autumn raspberries, cutting all canes down to the ground before mulching and top dressing with fertiliser over the roots.
Summer raspberries can be cut back to one or two buds above the tops of their supports (if they have overshot them), or they can be arched over and trained back down again, sometimes in attractive patterns.
Check ties on cane, cordon and fan fruit. Tighten or loosen as necessary, and replace those that are broken or damaged.
A wide range of fruit trees, including apples and pears, can be grafted at this time.
This month bundles of bare-root cane fruit plants are available for sale. Only autumn raspberries can be planted without support. All other cane fruits need supports in place before planting. Posts with at least three tensioned wires stretched between them, is the commonest system.
This is a good time to plant new fruit trees and bushes, as long as the ground is not too wet, or frozen. Incorporate lots of well-rotted organic matter into the ground before digging the planting hole or trench.
Protect the blossom of early-flowering apricots, peaches and nectarines from frost damage by covering plants with fleece.
Hand pollinate flowers of apricots, peaches and nectarines if insects are scarce. A soft paintbrush or a rabbit’s tail, are the best tools for transferring pollen.
Check that newly planted fruit trees and bushes have not been lifted by frost. Re-firm them in if necessary.
Apply a general-purpose fertiliser to all tree, bush and cane fruit, at the manufacturer's specified rates. Fertiliser is best applied over the whole root area of the plant (roughly equivalent to the spread of the branches, but on the ground). Extra potassium can be beneficial in addition to the balanced feed.
Mulch all fruit crops with well-rotted manure or garden compost.
Pot-grown strawberries that have been in a cool greenhouse all winter should be placed outside, as they flower only after exposure to the cold. However, outdoor strawberries (already exposed to the cold) can be brought into the greenhouse to force them into fruit at warmer temperatures. Hand pollination may be necessary in cold weather.
Place cloches or fleece over outdoor strawberry plants for an early crop. Make sure to lift the sides of the fleece during the warmest part of the day, to allow pollinating insects to enter. High potassium feeds (such as tomato fertiliser) will also help to encourage flowers and fruit. Hand pollination may be necessary in very cold spring weather, when insects are scarce.
Continue to force rhubarb before it comes into natural growth towards the end of February, or March. Place a large bucket, dustbin or forcing jar over the crown to encourage the fresh, pink shoots to form in the darkness. A few shovels of manure, straw and poultry manure pellets thrown over the top will create extra warmth to speed up the process.
Pest & disease watch
When pruning fruit trees, make sure you remove any dead or diseased wood, including spurs with mummified fruits (the result of brown rot infections earlier in the season), and take the opportunity to check for any cankers on the branches.
Net fruit crops to reduce pigeon damage, and to keep bullfinches off fruit buds (particularly gooseberries). Nets can be removed once flowering starts.
Erect a clear polythene rainproof cover over wall-trained peaches if you did not do so in January. This will help prevent peach leaf curl. Do not let the cover touch the plant and ensure it is in contact with the soil. Keep it on until April, but allow pollinating insects to enter by lifting the sides during the warmest part of the day.
Keep an eye out for early aphid attack on soft fruits, and deal with this appropriately, either by squashing small colonies, or by using pesticide on larger infestations.
Cherry black fly
Currant blister aphid
Plum leaf-curling aphid
This is the last month you can still apply fatty acid-based winter washes to dormant fruit trees. These washes may help to control overwintering eggs of aphids (see above), apple suckers and scale insects.
Regularly check fruit stores, and remove any rotting or mouldy specimens.
Check mouse controls near your fruit stores, to ensure they are still functioning.
Vegetables
Plan a crop rotation system for your vegetable plot, to ensure that the same crops are not grown in the same beds year after year. This helps to prevent disease build up.
Cultivate and prepare seedbeds, covering them with clear polythene, cloches or fleece to warm up the soil before sowing.
Finish any major digging and weeding if you have not done so already. Try to avoid digging in wet weather, but if gardening on top of wet soil, work from a plank of wood, to avoid treading on the bed and compacting the soil.
You can rake in lime this month - if you have acid soil, or have had previous problems with club root, and wish to grow brassicas - but remember that the ground will not be ready for planting out until April or May, as an interval of two months is needed between liming and planting.
Continue to harvest any remaining winter crops (e.g. broccoli, Brussels sprouts, leeks, parsnips, swede, celeriac and turnip).
When spring cabbages are ready to harvest, cut them off the stem and make a cross in the top of the cut stem. Sometimes mini-cabbages, or ‘spring greens’ will grow from the cut stems.
Continue to force chicory and seakale. Dig up selected chicory roots, pot them up, and position them in a dark, warm place (10-13°C; 50-55°F), with an upturned pot over them to exclude light. The tasty chicons will appear in three to six weeks. Seakale is best forced outside at seasonal temperatures, with an upturned pot or cardboard box/tube over the top to exclude the light.
From mid-February onwards sow greenhouse-grown tomatoes and cucumbers. Use a heated propagator or warm room at 21°C (70°F) to encourage germination, and then keep them potted on at a lower temperature of 15-18°C (60-65°F).
If you have light (sandy) soil and live in a mild part of the UK, you can sow broad beans, carrots, parsnips, early beetroot, bulb onions, lettuces, radish, peas, spinach and summer cabbage outside under cloches, in soil that has been covered for a few weeks to pre-warm it. If the weather in your area has been very cold, then wait until late February. If you have heavy (clay) soil, it is best to wait until March. Seeds can always be sown in pots or modules, under cover, if you are eager to get started.
Peas can be sown in the greenhouse in old (but clean) guttering that has had drainage holes drilled in the bottom. Starting them under cover gives them a head start. When the seedlings are ready for planting out, the whole row can be gently pushed out of the guttering, into a ready prepared drill in the vegetable garden.
Plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers. They can act as a screen for the shed or compost bin, as they get quite tall
Unpack mail ordered onion sets and shallots, and keep them in a dry, airy place - perhaps in net bags - until you're ready for planting. Plant out garlic and shallots in light soils only; heavy soils need longer to warm up.
Chit seed potato tubers as soon as they arrive. Stand them upright with the rose end (having most shoots) facing upwards in a light, cool but frost-free place. Old egg boxes make excellent holders.
Order asparagus crowns from suppliers.
Prepare new asparagus beds by weeding, digging over thoroughly, and incorporating lots of organic matter. Additional grit, together with lots of organic matter, may improve conditions on very heavy soils.
Feed any spring cabbages that have been standing all winter. High nitrogen feeds such as Growmore or pelleted poultry manure are fine.
If you are very keen, you could prepare your runner bean supports and trenches for sowing (in May) or planting out (in June). This will save you time later.
Pest & disease watch
Place mice controls near stored vegetables.
Regularly check stores and remove any rotting or mouldy specimens.
Ensure that crops remaining in the ground, and new sowings under cloches, are protected from mice.
Slugs can still pose a threat and slug controls are necessary now, as always.
Pigeons are serious pests of brassicas and other vegetables. Cloches, frames of netting or fleece, and metal cages will help to keep them away from vulnerable crops.
Pick yellowing leaves off Brussels sprouts and other brassicas promptly, to prevent spread of grey mould and brassica downy mildew.
Attracting wildlife to your garden (see wildlife gardening section) can help to control pest problems for the coming year.
Herbs
Covering herbs that have overwintered successfully with fleece will bring them into active growth more quickly.
A few roots of mint can be dug up, potted, and forced in the warmth of the kitchen to provide leaves to go with the first new potato crops.
If mint or other herbs (such as lemon balm) have proved invasive, then this is a good time to tackle the problem. A selected clump of roots can be dug up and potted, the pot either being kept on the patio, or plunged into the ground to give the illusion of garden planting. Remaining unwanted clumps can be sprayed with a weedkiller containing glyphosate once green growth appears.
Shrubby herbs in pots (e.g. lavender, rosemary and bay) can be top-dressed with a balanced fertiliser (e.g. Growmore or fish, blood and bone) plus some organic matter, or with fresh John Innes compost (No 2 or 3). Shrubby herbs in the garden do not need feeding - most of them thrive in poor soil.
Pest & disease watch
Covering plants with fleece can protect them from flying pests, as well as from the cold.
Look out for signs of botrytis (fluffy grey mould) on herbs, especially in wet weather.
Flower garden
Cut back ornamental grasses and other perennials left for winter interest.
Divide and/or plant bulbs-in-the-green such as snowdrops (Galanthus) and winter aconites (Eranthis hyemalis).
Divide clumps of herbaceous perennials that you want to propagate, those that have become too large for their allotted space, and those that are flowering poorly or have lost their shape.
At the end of the month prune back the stems of pot-grown overwintered fuchsias and place in a well-lit, warm place to encourage new growth.
Continue to deadhead winter pansies and other winter bedding. Pansies will carry on into the spring and even to early summer, if attended to frequently.
Cut off old leaves of hellebores that produce flowers from ground level (including Helleborus x hybridus and H. niger) to expose the flowers and remove possible foliar diseases such as hellebore leaf spot.
Hellebore blooms can look unsightly when splashed with muddy raindrops. Bark chip mulch will reduce this splashing effect, and cloches can be used where practical.
Root cuttings can be taken of Papaver (perennial poppies), Verbascum (mullein), Acanthus (bear’s britches) and Phlox.
Place gladioli corms in seed trays or boxes and place in a light, warm (around 10ºC/50ºF) spot to encourage them to sprout before planting. This will ensure an earlier display.
Dahlia tubers that were stored over winter (or bought this year) can be started into growth in the same way, placing them in a light, warm place to sprout before planting. They will need additional misting with a spray-bottle of water, to stop them drying out.
Lily bulbs can be planted in pots, for flowers this summer. After growing on indoors or in a cool greenhouse, they can be moved onto the patio when in flower, so that you can enjoy the blooms.
Hardy annuals can be sown in pots or modules to provide colour in the garden. They are inexpensive and can provide a fun activity for children.
Sweet peas can be sown this month, under cloches, in a cold frame, or in a cool room in the house. Fleece covering can be used to raise the temperature and encourage growth of plants outside or in a cold frame. Some seed varieties need chitting (nicking of the seed coat), and/or soaking, in order to germinate. Any sweet peas that were sown earlier in the autumn can now be potted on - one 9cm (3.5in) pot per plant is recommended. Place them on a sunny windowsill, or on a high shelf in the greenhouse that gets plenty of light.
Top dress spring-flowering alpines with grit or gravel to show off the plants and to help prevent stem rots.
Bulbs coming up in the rock garden or in containers may benefit from overhead protection from the rain and snow. A sheet of glass or Perspex placed on piles of bricks will do the job.
Check on tender plants overwintering outdoors to ensure protective coverings are still in place.
If space is available in the greenhouse, pot up cuttings of tender perennials taken late last summer.
Towards the end of the month, you can top dress beds and borders with a balanced fertiliser such as Growmore or blood, fish and bone, to feed perennials as they start back into growth.
Check whether containers need watering. Even at this time of year, they can dry out. Pots that are sheltered by eaves or balconies can miss out on any rainfall. If in doubt, check the compost at a hand’s depth to see if it feels dry. Aim to keep pots moist, not wet, and don’t let them dry out.
Pots and tubs benefit from topping up with fresh John Innes compost. Old compost can be removed and replaced with new if there is not much room for topping up.
Clear up weedy beds before mulching. Lighter soils can be mulched now, but heavier soils are best left until March, when the soil is warmer. Mulching with a deep layer of organic matter helps to condition the soil, suppress weed growth, insulate plant roots from temperature fluctuations, and conserve soil moisture during the summer.
Improve the drainage of heavy soils by working in lots of organic matter and coarse gravel (if necessary).
Prepare beds for new roses when conditions allow. Avoid wet days and frozen ground.
Send soil samples for pH and nutrient testing (if necessary). This can help you choose the correct plants for the site in question, and allow you to rectify any nutrient deficiencies with a spring feed.
Order catalogues for spring planting of summer-flowering bulbs, bedding plants and herbaceous perennials (if not done already). Summer-flowering Dutch iris bulbs can be forced and used as cut flowers.
Plan your summer bedding and container planting schemes in good time for ordering the necessary bulbs, annuals and seed, and for propagating the relevant material.
Stock up on stakes and ties for the coming season, if you have not done so already.
Pest & disease watch
Remove dead leaves from around the basal rosettes of alpine plants to prevent rotting.
Top dress spring-flowering alpines with grit or gravel to show off the plants and help prevent rotting around the neck.
Snowdrops can be vulnerable to Botrytis (grey mould).
Watch out for downy mildew and black spot on winter pansies. Remove any infected leaves and destroy badly affected plants. To avoid the build-up of diseases, it is best not to plant pansies in the same place year after year.
Look out for rots (such as crown rot, Sclerotinia, delphinium black blotch, black root rot and antirrhinum rust on emerging perennials, especially if you garden on clay or poorly-drained ground. These diseases can overwinter in soil debris, and then re-attack the following year’s growth. Hasty removal of affected growth can contain the problem, but sometimes replanting in another area is the only effective control if chemical treatment is unavailable.
Hellebore leaf spot can be a problem on old foliage of hellebores. Cutting back the old leaves should control the problem, and allow the flowers and new growth to be better seen.
Protect sweet pea plants from aphids as they can transmit sweet pea viruses.
Protect lily, Delphinium and Hosta shoots from slugs and snails before they appear.
Check autumn-sown sweet peas growing in cold frames, and apply mouse and slug controls if necessary.
Inspect stored tubers of plants such as Dahlia and Canna for signs of drying out. Do not let them become bone dry or they will desiccate; but too wet and they may rot.
Glasshouse, conservatory and
houseplants
Deadhead Hippeastrum (amaryllis) leaving the flower stalk(s) to die down naturally. Keep feeding and watering and you may be treated to further flowers in August as well as the normal blooms next winter.
Schlumbergera truncata and S. x buckleyi (Christmas cactus) - twist off some of the stem segment, with a view to keeping a balanced shape to the plant. This will encourage bushy growth. The detached segments can be used as cuttings, if dried and kept warm for a week, before potting up in gritty compost.
If the leaves on pot Cyclamen start to turn yellow this may be a sign of overwatering. Keep Cyclamen in a cool, well-lit place and water them from below (into the saucer). Allow the plant to drink for half an hour, before pouring away the remaining water left in the saucer. If the level in the saucer does not go down, then the plant did not need a drink. You can always tip out the rootball and feel it before watering, to see if the compost is dry, or if it is still moist from previous watering.
Greenhouse bulbs that have finished flowering (e.g. freesias and Lachenalia) can now be fed weekly with high potassium feed (such as tomato fertiliser), to build up the bulbs before resting them over the summer. Reduce feeding and watering as the foliage starts to die back, and then lay the pots on their sides under the greenhouse bench until next autumn.
Begonia, Gloxinia and Achimenes tubers can all be planted this month. Begonias and gloxinias need to be planted hollow side upwards; Achimenes can be planted on their sides, in trays if necessary, before potting them on as necessary once growth appears.
Lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria) that was lifted from the garden to use as winter-flowering pot plants in the greenhouse, should now be planted back outside.
Maintain a minimum of 5°C (42°F) to prevent Fuchsia, Pelargonium and other tender plants being killed by the cold. Higher temperatures (at least 12°C/54°F) will be needed for tropical plants.
Fuchsias can be started into active growth (if not done last month) by repotting, increasing watering, feeding (with a slow-release fertiliser such as blood, fish and bone), and putting them in a sunny place. Those that were started up in January can now be sprayed with water occasionally to raise humidity, encourage growth, and help bud break.
Soft tip cuttings can be taken from fuchsias this month.
Cacti and Clivia houseplants should still be kept dormant until March. Very little water (barely moist) and no feeding is advised until then. Clivia will additionally benefit from lower light levels (e.g. a back room where the lights are never turned on and there is not too much natural light) - this will improve flowering in the following season.
Don't leave houseplants on windowsills behind the curtains on frosty nights, especially if your windows are not double-glazed.
Stand houseplants on trays of damp gravel to counteract drop in humidity in centrally-heated homes.
Water houseplants sparingly until they come into active growth with the advancing spring.
Check that light levels are sufficient for houseplants. They will need light to carry on until the spring, and can easily be forgotten in a back or spare room that receives little natural light, or with the curtains left drawn. They are best moved to sunny positions until March.
Prune conservatory climbers towards the end of the month:
Plumbago, passion flower and jasmine can be thinned out, so that they have a neat framework of branches. The previous year’s growth can also be cut back to two or three buds from the main framework, to keep the size under control.
Bougainvillea pruning is sometimes left until early spring the year after flowering, because of the risk of frost damage when pruning in the autumn, just after flowering. Last year’s growth should be spur-pruned back to 2.5cm (1in) of the main woody framework. Do not prune unless the glasshouse or conservatory is reliably above 10°C (50°F).
Cut back leggy Hypoestes (polka dot plant), Pilea (aluminium plant), Coleus (now called Solenostenum), Tradescantia, Pelargonium, Salvia, Argyranthemum and Lantana to encourage new growth and keep the plants well shaped. Prunings can always be used as softwood cuttings.
If you do have any seedlings and/or cuttings in the greenhouse, make sure they are getting the maximum light available, or else they will become weak and leggy. If necessary, turn them once a day so that they get light on both sides. This will stop them leaning over towards the light, and keep them upright and compact.
Don’t forget to prick out seedlings before they get too crowded, and then to pot them on as individual transplants as soon as they are large enough.
Plug plants are now available for sale. They can be grown on in your glasshouse, being a relatively cheap source of large numbers of plants, while avoiding the need for propagation facilities and labour.
Citrus trees in pots should be top-dressed with fresh compost, and/or repotted if necessary.
Cool conditions and regular watering will help keep potted indoor azaleas looking good for longer. Remember to water azaleas with rainwater collected in a rain butt, not with tap water.
Regularly pick over plants and sweep up fallen debris, to prevent disease spreading.
Check that glasshouse heaters are functioning properly, by investing in a maximum-minimum thermometer to enable accurate monitoring of your greenhouse temperature.
Check your glasshouse insulation is still secure for the remainder of the cold weather.
Clear leaves and twigs from guttering on greenhouses and sheds.
On sunny days, ventilate the glasshouse or conservatory, to reduce the risk of fungal infections.
Keep alpine houses well ventilated.
Indoor forced bulbs that were in the house for winter displays, but which have now finished flowering, can be left outside in a sheltered spot in the garden to finish dying down.
Pest & disease watch
Pick up dead fallen leaves to deter Botrytis (grey mould).
Ventilating the glasshouse or conservatory on mild sunny days will help to reduce fungal infections.
Cyclamen persicum (often given as a winter pot plant) is best watered from below (i.e. into the saucer, not the pot), as wetting the leaves can easily result in fungal infections such as cyclamen grey mould and rotting off.
Unhealthy looking Cyclamen may also be suffering from vine weevil attack, so gently knock the plant out of the pot to check the roots for signs of larvae and treat accordingly.
Look out for damping off disease on any seedlings, and treat appropriately.
Keep an eye out for overwintering pests such as whitefly or red spider mite and treat accordingly. Nooks and crannies, and the bark of woody houseplants and vines, can harbour nymphs of mealybugs and scale insects.
Trees, shrubs, roses, climbers and hedges
Continue to plant hedging plants, shrubs, trees and climbers. Stakes and rabbit guards should be put in place at the time of planting trees, to prevent damage to the rootball or bark.
Continue to plant roses. Avoid planting in areas where roses were previously growing otherwise new introductions may suffer from replant diseases.
Move established deciduous trees and shrubs provided the ground is not frozen or waterlogged.
Check tree ties and stakes. Replace, tighten or slacken them where necessary.
Tie up splayed out branches on conifers that have become damaged by the weight of snow or by strong winds.
Firm back newly planted trees and shrubs if they have been lifted by frost heave or by strong winds.
Remove weeds from around the bases of young trees.
Check protective coverings on newly planted or borderline hardy trees, shrubs and climbers, to ensure they remain secure until the risk of frost has passed.
Deciduous flowering Prunus species (ornamental cherries, plums and almonds) are vulnerable to silver leaf if pruned before mid-summer, and anyway should not require routine pruning if planted with sufficient space for their eventual size.
When pruning, concentrate on removing overcrowded growth, crossing stems, and dead, damaged, or dying branches. Aim for an open centre, through which air can circulate, as this will reduce the risk of pests and diseases.
If your trees are too large for you to manage pruning alone, you may need a tree surgeon. Otherwise take care not to damage the tree when sawing off thicker branches.
Many summer-flowering deciduous shrubs can be pruned between February and March; usually those that flower on the current year’s growth. Shrubs that need regular pruning include Buddleja davidii, Ceratostigma, Hydrangea paniculata, Lavatera, Leycesteria, Perovskia, hardy fuchsias, and deciduous Ceanothus.
Delay pruning spring-flowering shrubs until immediately after flowering, otherwise this year's display will be lost.
Do not prune slightly tender evergreen shrubs (such as Choisya, best left until April), but do tackle hardier examples (such as Prunus laurocerasus, the cherry laurel), if necessary.
Shrubs such as Buddleja davidii, Salix alba var. vitellina cultivars and Cornus sanguinea cultivars are usually stooled (i.e. cut back very hard), because this keeps them at a manageable size, as well as deepening the stem colour of those grown for their winter stems.
Remove any reverted green shoots on hardy variegated evergreens, to prevent reversion taking over.
Cut out the top rosette of leaves from the leggy stems of Mahonia x media cultivars to encourage branching.
Cut deciduous hedges if necessary. They can still be renovated before leaf emergence.
Ornamental vines, ivy, Virginia creeper and Boston ivy can be cut back now – it’s a good idea to keep them away from windows, doors, gutters and roof tiles.
Prune Wisteria by cutting back the sideshoots shortened by summer pruning to two or three buds (2.5-5cm/1-2in). Avoid cutting off flower buds.
Spur-prune all current stems on Campsis by cutting back the laterals to within two or three buds of the main branches forming the framework.
Cut back late summer and autumn flowering (Group 3) Clematis to the lowest pair of strong buds. Mulch and feed at the same time.
Prune winter-flowering jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) once the flowers have faded. Remove any dead or damaged shoots, tie in new shoots to the main framework, and then shorten all the laterals coming off the main framework to 5cm (2in), cutting to a bud. This will keep the plant neat, and improve flowering next winter. It is a good idea to feed and mulch after pruning, as the plant will put on lots of growth in response to cutting back.
Summer-flowering jasmines may also be pruned (if necessary), providing that they are reasonably hardy in their situation. With these you should remove a couple of stems completely to ground level, and avoid cutting back laterals, as this would damage the current year’s flowering potential.
Mulch and feed shrubs, trees, hedges and climbers after pruning, to give them energy for the extra growth they will put on after cutting back.
Tie wall shrubs and climbers onto their supports to protect them from wind damage.
Trim winter-flowering heathers as the flowers fade. Shears are the ideal tool. This will prevent the plants from becoming leggy and bare.
Sow tree seeds that have been kept in cold storage since collection in the autumn.
This is the last month you can still take hardwood cuttings of ornamental shrubs such as Cornus, Salix, Forsythia, Weigela, Escallonia, Rosa, Ribes, Chaenomeles and Elaeagnus. Many deciduous climbers can also be propagated in this way (e.g. Fallopia and Lonicera).
Check hardwood cuttings taken last year - they may need planting or potting on.
Pest & disease watch
Put rabbit guards around newly planted trees and shrubs to protect the bark.
Avoid planting roses in areas where roses were previously growing otherwise new introductions may suffer from replant diseases.
Inspect sick looking box and holly trees for signs of blight.
Bracket fungus on trees is more visible at this time of year. If the tree is in poor health it is worth calling in a tree surgeon for a professional opinion.
Phytophthora root rots can cause die back on mature trees and shrubs. Wet winter weather and poorly drained soils are likely to encourage this problem on susceptible woody plants.
Coral spot is often noticed while the leaves are off deciduous hedges, shrubs and trees. This problem can be connected with poor ventilation and congested, un-pruned twiggy growth (as often found inside clipped hedges).
Check for damage or cankers on deciduous trees.
Lawns and meadows
Turf can be laid, provided the soil is not too wet or frosty. Work from planks, to avoid compacting the soil.
Do not walk on the newly laid turf and leave undisturbed for several weeks to allow new roots to establish.
Prepare seed beds for new lawns to be seeded later in the spring, but only attempt this if the ground is not too wet.
Re-cut lawn edges to crisp up the appearance of the garden, and to save work later in the season.
In the mildest parts of the UK, and if the weather is warm, you may need to mow. Set the cutting height at its maximum, and only mow when the grass is dry.
Troubleshooting
Mole activity increases in February, as this is the mating and nest (fortress) building season. Remove the largest hills and re-firm the ground before overseeding with grass seed in spring.
Keep brushing away worm casts, as they can be troublesome at this time of year.
Fusarium patch, or snow mould, may be a problem in wet weather, particularly on overfed and lush lawns that have been left to grow a bit too long.
Algae can be a problem on lawns where there is poor drainage, excessive shade, or under the drip-line of trees.
Repair lawn edges or patches with turves cut from other areas of the garden.
If the weather is mild, then you can repair hollows and bumps in the lawn by making an H-shaped cut in the turf, peeling back the grass, and either filling the hollow with loam, or scraping away the soil from a bump. Then re-lay the turf, press it into place and pinch the cut edges together.
Ponds
Continue to keep ponds from freezing over. If you do not have a pond heater, then there are other precautions to prevent freezing, such as placing floats on the surface of the water.
Monitor the water level of your pond, as winter weather can cause defects in liners and concrete structures.
You could take the opportunity to dig a new pond - the spring rains may even help to fill it. We recommend a minimum depth of 60cm (2ft) at the deepest point, to reduce the risk of the pond freezing to its full depth. Gently sloping contours between the shallow and deep areas, and between the bank and the water, are more wildlife-friendly, and help to make marginal plantings appear natural. Our RHS members’ advisory service can advise on suitable liners and construction materials, as well as on ways to address health and safety concerns.
Troubleshooting
If the water level of your pond drops considerably, it may have developed a leak. Be sure to keep it topped up until repairs can be carried out in the spring.
Make a hole in frozen ponds by holding a saucepan of hot water on the surface until it has melted through. Do not crack the ice, as this is harmful to fish.
Grille coverings (either simple meshes or bespoke features) can protect young children from accidents. The size of the mesh can be judged in order to prevent hazard, but to also allow access for wildlife, and to preserve the aesthetic charm of the pond.
Wildlife gardening
Jobs for this month
- Put up nesting boxes for birds
- Keep bird feeders topped up and continue to put out food on the ground and bird table
- Avoid foods that could cause choking in young fledglings
- Keep the bird bath topped up
- Regularly clean the bird bath and table
- Put out hedgehog and badger food
- Plant new berrying trees and shrubs – a mix of natives and non-natives works well
- Put out log and/or rock piles to create areas of shelter for wildlife
- Plan and dig a wildlife pond
- Build a compost bin
- Prepare the ground for a wild flower meadow
- Buy and hang a bee nesting box
Birds
Put up nesting boxes for birds, to increase their choice of nesting sites. You could hang a nest box opposite a window, in the hope of seeing the mother coming and going from the nest. Boxes hung on walls can be safer from cats and other predators than those hung on trees.
A north or north-east facing position is best, as strong sun can make nest boxes uninviting. Choose a height suitable for the bird species in your garden, after doing a little research.
When choosing nesting boxes, consider their design before buying. Woodcrete (a mixture of concrete and sawdust) can be a better material than wood, as it is cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Different designs may be more or less suitable for particular species, and it is worth doing a little research. Combined nest boxes and feeding tables are not usually popular with wild birds, and can be unhygienic. Bird food catalogues often have helpful information about available products, as do the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the British Trust for Ornithology and The Wildlife Trusts.
Providing food for birds from February until April helps to supplement natural supplies, which can be few and far between in February. Many species in decline, such as yellowhammers and tree sparrows, rely on finding food locally throughout the winter and early spring, when there are fewer insects and berries to be had. The birds need sustenance to ensure they are fit enough to breed.
You may hear the familiar spring dawn chorus starting, as robins, thrushes, blackbirds and other species signal their availability to potential mates. When putting out bird food, it is best to avoid peanuts and large chunks of food, as there is a risk that large pieces could be fed by adult birds to their fledglings, which could result in choking. Safe foods include: wildbird seed mixes (but not those containing peanuts or dog biscuit); black sunflower seeds (the birds will remove the outside casing, and the inner seed is soft); mild grated cheese; sultanas, raisins and currants (best soaked overnight); pinhead oatmeal; apples, pears and other soft fresh fruit; mealworms & waxworms.
Continue to hang bird feeders if you have not done so already. There are many models available, designed to help keep out rats, cats, pigeons and squirrels, or to fit onto walls, windows, windowsills and balconies.
Hanging the bird feeder over a paved or decked area, which can be regularly swept clear of debris, may help to reduce problems with rats, if they prove a nuisance.
A bird bath can be a vital source of drinking water for birds. Ensure that yours is topped up, and kept free of ice. Models are available to attach to windows, walls and sills, if you are limited for space. Do be aware of hygiene in the bird bath, especially with the current concern about Asian bird flu. Changing the water regularly, and scrubbing the bath out with a mild detergent (available from bird food suppliers) can help to prevent the spread of disease.
Although risk is still deemed to be low outside of the poultry industry, anyone interested in birds in their garden will be concerned about bird flu’ (see www.rspb.org.uk or www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/index.htm). Good hygiene is key to reducing risk. Changing the water in bird baths regularly, scrubbing them out with a special detergent (available from bird food suppliers), and making sure that wild bird droppings are not allowed to accumulate on lawns or surfaces, will help to prevent the disease spreading. Obviously, if you keep pet birds or chickens, you are advised to keep them completely separate from potential contact with wild birds, and to mind your own hygiene before and after handling them, wearing suitable protective clothing that is kept solely for this task.
Mammals, reptiles and amphibians
Frogs, toads and hedgehogs may emerge from hibernation in mild weather. Hedgehog and badger food is now available for sale. It is not a good idea to feed hedgehogs with bread and milk, as this is not their natural diet. Dog food is an alternative.
Insects
Butterflies can emerge in spells of sunshine - particularly brimstones and commas.
Bee homes are now widely available. Initial reports suggest that nesting boxes for colony-forming bees (such as bumble and honey bees) are not always effective, but homes for solitary bees (such as mason bees), made from tubes and tunnels in boxes, are more successful. They are also attractive. Models with a backing are more successful than those open at both ends. This kind of bee house is easy to make at home. Even a tin can filled with straws will do the job. South-facing positions, hanging at chest height or above, are best. Bees usually colonise these homes in spring, hibernating over winter to emerge the following spring. The boxes can be left out over winter, or taken down and stored in a safe place to avoid bees being eaten by predators.
Remember that insects are gardeners’ friends as well as foes! They are natural pest controllers, and will keep each other’s populations down to manageable levels once your garden has got back into a natural balance.
Plants
If you are planting new trees, shrubs and perennials, it is a good idea to mix in some native plants with the more exotic or cultivated specimens. Although many insects will happily feed and breed on a selection of plants (native or otherwise), others are fussier, and prefer natives, particularly when it comes to breeding (e.g. the pearl-bordered fritillary, which breeds in areas of coppiced hazel - see www.butterfly-conservation.org/species/guide_wb/pearl-bordered_fritillary.html). A wide diversity of plants will encourage a wide diversity of insects, and this is likely to be the best recipe for a rich mix of mammals, amphibians and birds in your garden.
You may wish to identify a suitable part of the garden to leave untouched as a wildlife area. A small patch behind a shed is perfectly fine if you’re worried about it looking untidy.
Now could be a good time to build a compost heap or a leafmould pen, if you do not have these in your garden already. They will be ready for all the debris produced by the new growing season.
You may wish to plan a wildflower meadow. Now is a good time to prepare the ground. You will need to create a seedbed if you wish to sow wild flower seed. Annual cornflower seed mix gives an instant display in the first year. Perennial seed mixes take two years to flower, and may be less dramatic in their appearance. An alternative is to spray a weed killer containing glyphosate, on patches of the existing grass. Plug plants can be sourced to grow on, and to then plant in the bare patches. This will only work where the existing grass is not very vigorous. Ryegrasses can overwhelm meadow flowers. If you do have rye grass, another option is to over-seed with yellow rattle. This is an annual parasite of grass, gradually weakening it, and hopefully self-seeding from year to year, producing pretty yellow flowers. It can be sown directly onto the grass. For information on suppliers, and further advice, see our web advice page on sowing wildflower meadows.
All wildlife
Put out log and twig piles made from old prunings and felled trees. These provide valuable shelter for wildlife, and can be made into attractive features by planting up with ferns, primroses, or other suitable plants. A site well away from the house should ensure that unwanted creepy crawlies do not stray into domestic rooms.
Piles of slabs or rockery stones will act as a suitable wildlife habitat, as will old bales of straw, hay or prunings.
Corrugated iron or plastic laid on the soil can provide ‘tunnel’ hiding places for small reptiles and mammals looking for shelter and warmth.
You could plan and dig a wildlife pond before the spring arrives, and the garden gets busier.
Garden structures
Gently remove snow from glasshouses and conservatories to prevent damage to the glass and allow good light penetration.
Check and repair pergolas and arches if needed.
Rub down and treat wooden garden furniture when dry. Only use paints and preservatives in a well-ventilated area.
In dry spells, you can treat timber structures with wood preservative and stain. Only do this in a well-ventilated space, to reduce the risks to your lungs and eyes. Make sure you use appropriate products. Creosote, for example, is no longer legal.
Garden contractors are likely to be less busy before March, and may therefore be available for major jobs such as paving, fence building and pond digging.
Take action to remove algae from paths if they start to become slippery.
Make a cold frame - you could save lots of money, as good cold frames are very expensive to buy.
Go through your shed and remove any old, out-of-date garden chemicals. If in doubt of how to dispose of them, your local authority tip should be able to help. You can check our list of chemicals removed from the market for up-to-date information.
Put design ideas for new garden projects on paper and cost them out. This month is your last opportunity to see the bare skeleton of your garden before all the perennials and new leaves emerge. Hard landscaping has less impact on plants when they are still dormant. But do take care not to compact your soil with machinery when it is wet.
Gardening for children
As well as being able to take part in many of the above activities, here are some extras especially for them.
Children old enough not to put unsafe non-foodstuffs in their mouths can don gloves and scatter granular fertiliser around trees and shrubs, brushing it into the top layer of soil with gloved hands or a small rake. Dusty products should be avoided in order to reduce risk of respiratory problems, especially in children with asthma or other respiratory diseases, and an adult should supervise and ensure good hygiene is maintained throughout.
Those with energy to spare can be encouraged to build up their muscles and warm up in the cold by barrowing mulch around the garden, tipping it out and spreading it over bare soil, particularly around the bases of trees and shrubs. Children’s wheelbarrows can be bought from www.gonegardening.com and www.brio.co.uk. You may need to go round the garden afterwards to check that woody plant stems have not been buried deeper than originally planted, as this will cause the bark to rot and infection to arise.
Growing food crops is a good way to capture the imagination of children, and there is nothing more exciting than harvesting your crops for cooking and eating. Brussels sprouts, leeks, parsnips, swedes, turnips and celeriac can all be harvested this month. Potatoes can be chitted in egg boxes, children being tasked with placing the rose-end (the end with the most 'eyes') upwards in the egg boxes ready for sprouting.