Work in the garden in February is very much dependant on the weather. Use your common sense when deciding what to do. If it feels like the middle of a Siberian winter then ignore the calendar and wait till the weather warms up a bit.
Sowing & Transplanting
If you want to grow alpine strawberries then put the seeds in the freezer now before sowing them in 3-4 weeks time. This improves germination.
Outside: Garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, parsnip & peas. Using cloches to warm up the soil before planting and to keep out the worst of the cold will give your plants a head start.
Under Glass: Broad beans, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower,celery, celeriac, leeks, lettuce, marrow, onions, peas, peppers, radish, tomatoes, turnip, pumpkin
Transplant Outside: Autumn sown cauliflower.
Fruit bushes and raspberry canes can be planted if the ground isn’t frozen.
Pest & Disease Control
Check plants in the greenhouse for grey mould. Remove any affected leaves. Increase ventilation if grey mould is a problem and keep plants barely moist.
If the weather is warm then slugs and snails will start to emerge. See our article on slug and snail control for ideas on how to keep them at bay.
In The Greenhouse
Bring a few potted strawberry plants into the greenhouse and you’ll get an early crop.
Harvesting
If your veg plot is big enough, winter doesn’t have to be a barren season. Just look at all the lovely veg you can harvest in February!
Beetroot, broccoli, calabrese, Brussel sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, celery, Jerusalem artichoke, leeks, onions, parsnip, spinach, turnip,
Pruning
Prune autumn fruiting raspberries, cutting the canes back to ground level.
Prune summer fruiting raspberries back to a couple of buds below the top support wire.
Prune gooseberries and redcurrants.
If you still haven’t done it, prune apples and pears.
Other Jobs
Digging and seed bed preparation are traditional February jobs. They are active enough to help keep you warm too!
Apply fertiliser and mulches to your fruit tees, bushes and canes ready for their growth spurt in spring.
Chit seed potatoes (i.e. get them to sprout) by placing them in a cool, frost free bright place. Many gardeners put them in the bottom half of egg boxes to keep them stood upright.
Order your plug plants now. The best varieties often sell out quickly.
Force rhubarb by covering the crown with a large pot or bucket as soon as it starts coming into growth. I just 4 weeks you’ll have lovely sweet and tender stalks that don’t need peeling.
Protect apricot, nectarine and peach blossom from frost.
Topdress citrus trees in pots or repot if necessary.
There is still time to buy and plant bare rooted fruit trees and bushes if you are quick. Plant them up as soon as possible.
Put up nest boxes to encourage birds into the garden. Birds are part of a healthy garden ecosystem.