Monthly Garden Advice for February
Early Vegetables
Feed and Mulch
This is an ideal time to apply a general feed, such as pelleted chicken manure to trees, shrubs and hedges as well as to herbaceous border plants. Then remove any weeds before applying a thick mulch of compost, well rotted manure or bark. This acts to suppress weed growth, enhance root growth and retain moisture over the season. Trees and shrubs planted in grass should have a metre diameter of clear ground around them to aid establishment.
Valentines Day
Do not miss this opportunity to give someone special a lovely pot plant obviously with bright red flowers such as a Begonia, Azalea, Kalanchoe or bowl of fragrant Primroses. Even better a beautiful rose bush promising fragrant deep red flowers in the summer. Attractively wrap and finish with a red ribbon.
Quick Tips
- lighter sandy soils are best cultivated this month. Work in plenty of organic matter to offset summer droughts.
- save water from any rooftops by fitting butts to downspouts.
- complete pruning deciduous trees and shrubs but leave Prunus spp until after flowering.
