Sincere apologies folks – we’re now over half way through February and I’m only just writing my monthly ‘things to do’ post. And by the time many of you have any free time, it’ll be next weekend, and nearly March!
But no matter; judging by the various Facebook posts and even the sound of a neighbour’s lawn mower here in Whalley Range, it appears that everyone is already getting out and enjoying the spring sunshine in some shape or form so hopefully you’re already on it.
It’s great to venture down the garden and appreciate the snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils as they appear. I’d completely forgotten that I’d under-planted my Cordyline with crocuses last Autumn, so that was a nice surprise;
So, if you haven’t already done it, here are a few things you could be getting on with:
Fruit and veg
Purchase your seed potatoes from your local garden centre. Put early varieties in an open cardboard egg box, eyes up, on a window sill to ‘chit’.
Autumn-fruiting raspberries – those that produce their fruit in August or September (e.g. cultivars such as ‘Autumn Bliss’ or ‘Polka’) - should be pruned by cutting canes right down to the ground. Note; not for summer fruiting varieties.
I have a new heated propagator so I am going to sow some tomato seeds and get them off the ground. More on that another day!
Shrubs
February is still a good time to plant bare-rooted trees and shrubs, whilst they are still dormant, assuming the soil isn’t frozen or water-logged.
Prune late flowering shrubs such as Buddleia davidii (butterfly bush), the deciduous Ceanothus ‘Burkwoodii’ and hardy fuchsias. Don’t be scared; you can be fairly brutal, cutting right down to just a couple of buds or shoots on each stem. After you’ve finished, feed them with an organic fertiliser and mulch with garden compost or well-rotted farmyard manure.
For early-flowering shrubs such as Forsythia x intermedia, Hamamelis x intermedia and winter-flowering Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum), wait until they have finished flowering before pruning.
Prune the roses (see previous blog).
Flowering plants and herbaceous borders
Give the borders a bit of a weed, and spread some mulch.
If you haven’t already, cut away last year’s dead or dying growth from herbaceous perennials, to allow the new growth to emerge unhindered. I have just been doing this to my Japanese Anemones, Catmint, Lemon balm and Rudbeckia, to name a few.
Plant snowdrops; these are best planted now, ‘in the green’.
If you’ve been storing dahlia tubers (or have purchased some), start them up by placing on the top of shallow trays of compost, and spraying with clean tap-water occasionally. This will encourage buds to grow.
Most importantly of all, get out there and enjoy the sunlight and lengthening days!
