Gardener’s Diary – Top Tips for February 2019

Enjoy our monthly Gardener’s diary for some fantastic tips on how to keep your garden going through all of the seasons.

Well didn’t January just fly by! I can’t quite believe we are in February already and next month it will be Spring… With the snow hitting all over these past few days and temperatures still pretty low, there still isn’t a great deal we can do outside. If there’s a dry sunny day and you feel like tackling the garden, here’s a few things you could be doing to prepare for the Spring…

Pruning

Now is the most ideal time to get on top of any pruning that you didn’t get a chance to do in the autumn as it is the most dormant period. Newly planted trees benefit from pruning and removing any damaged growth helps them to retain their natural shape, keeping them happy and healthy. This also allows new shoots to form. Be careful when pruning very large trees, sometimes it is best to be left for the professionals! Need new equipment? Shop tools here!

Potato Preparation

Boiled, mashed, chipped or baked… What’s your favourite? Potatoes are hugely versatile and a staple ingredient in most meals, so why not grow your own? Seed potatoes are available now! Chit them (allows shoots to form) by placing them in a light, cool, frost free place. The potatoes are ready to plant when the shoots are about 3cm long around late March.

Bulbs

It’s time to plant summer flowering bulbs such as Gladiolus, Freesia and Begonias. These will reward you with a beautiful display of colours throughout the summer months.

Prepare your beds

Seed beds should be prepared in February. Cover them with a polythene sheet, fleece or cloches to warm the soil up to prepare for sowing. You can put a 2 inch layer of aged compost across the top of the bed and lightly turn the compost under. This will encourage further decomposition and the compost will add extra nutrients into the soil.

Top tip!

Rake in garden lime if you have acidic soil, this helps to neutralise and balance out the PH.