As the last frost of winter lingers and the days slowly lengthen, February marks an exciting time for gardeners in the UK. It’s the month when anticipation for the coming spring reaches its peak, and the perfect opportunity arises to start preparing your garden for the vibrant blooms and bountiful harvests ahead.
As the temperatures are rising all across the UK, you may be wondering how to best prepare your garden for spring. Here are some of the best February gardening tips from the pros!
What to plant in February
This is most likely going to be the first thing that comes to mind. If the weather is getting nicer, can I already plant warmer weather seeds? The answer is no, you want to stay on the safe side. But February is ideal for hardy flowers and crops.
Bulb Flowers: Brighten up your garden with cheerful blooms by planting bulbs such as Wild Daffodils in the Green, crocuses, and snowdrops. These hardy flowers thrive in the cool soil of early spring and will reward you with a burst of color as the season progresses. You can plant them between January and early April, so February is the ideal time of the year!
Vegetables: Get a head start on your vegetable patch by sowing hardy crops like carrots, onions, peas, and broad beans. These resilient vegetables can withstand the lingering chill of February and will soon flourish as the weather warms.
Should you add a protective mulch layer?
While February hints at the arrival of spring, frosty weather can still pose a threat to your budding garden. To shield your young plants from freezing temperatures, you may want to use mulch.
A brief reminder that mulch and compost are two different things. Compost is biologically active, while mulch tends to be any material that can provide a cover. Mulch is designed for weather protection, compost is designed for nourishing the soil. You do not need to cover areas where you planted bulbs or hardy vegetables with mulch. However, you can use mulch on other areas, such as to protect existing bushes and flowers that come back every year.
Photo credit: Unsplash – CC0 Licence
Trimming Bushes and Trees
February is an excellent time to tackle pruning tasks in your garden, but it’s essential to approach this chore with care. While dormant trees and shrubs can benefit from a trim to promote healthy growth, avoid pruning any plants that are already showing signs of budding or flowering. Instead, focus on removing dead or damaged branches to encourage new growth and maintain the overall shape of your trees and bushes.
A word on compost
February is the perfect time of the year to prepare your soil ahead of spring and summer. Take the time to prepare your soil by loosening it with a garden fork and incorporating organic matter such as compost or well-rotted manure. This will improve soil structure and fertility, providing an optimal environment for your plants to thrive.
A little tip when it comes to compost: You can not only use your own homemade compost but it is going to make your pre-spring preparations a lot more cost-effective. Your bio waste can help nourish the soil before you can start seeding.
Embrace the rhythm of the changing seasons, and soon you’ll be rewarded with a flourishing garden brimming with life and color. February may be cold and rainy, but this is when your spring garden is made!
I hope you have found My February Garden Guide useful, check out other articles in my garden section.