February

With the days getting longer it can seem as though Spring is just around the corner.

Calm sunny days, particularly towards the end of the month, will bring narcissi, cyclamen and crocus into flower to join the snowdrops. Shady borders offer ideal conditions for colourful hellebores and primroses. Camellias will start to unfurl in milder areas and flowering quinces (chaenomeles) will also burst into bloom.

Don’t be fooled though – February is often the coldest month of the year and can bring heavy snow, hard frosts as well as rain. Temperature is very similar to January - expect 6-8ºC in the south and about 2-4ºC in the north. The average minimum temperature remains at about 1.5ºC in the south and 0.5ºC in the north. Do remember this average can hide a wide variation. It is not unusual to get temperatures falling to -10ºC or even lower, especially in Scotland. On the other hand, daytime temperatures further south can occasionally reach 10ºC or even higher.  As temperatures rise and days get longer plants are more vulnerable to low temperatures because buds are swelling. Get into the habit of checking your local weather forecast so that you can protect vulnerable plants when there’s a cold snap. There should be a few more sunny days than there were in January. Enjoy them, but don’t rush into sowing seeds because the chances are that there’s still lots of wintry weather to come.

February is usually slightly less windy than January. In the south, gales are rare, but further north you should expect three or four days of gales during the month. Another bonus is that rainfall is usually lower than January, but this is becoming increasingly variable. Do remember to keep off the soil when it’s very wet as your weight will cause compaction and you’ll end up having to dig over the area when it dries out. 

	Essential Jobs Checklist for February Continue planting bare-root trees, shrubs, roses and fruit bushes when weather allows Start to prune shrubs that have become too big or misshapen Start to hard prune late-flowering deciduous shrubs and clematis Begin pruning roses if weather allows Trim winter-flowering heathers Divide and replant snowdrops and aconites Cut back ornamental grasses Apply organic-based plant foods to established borders Continue digging over vegetable beds when weather allows Lime your vegetable beds if necessary Sow early vegetables under cover Start preparing outdoor seed beds for early vegetables Start sowing bedding and annuals under cover Order seeds and plug plants Top dress shrubs grown in containers Continue to protect tender plants Start dahlias tubers into growth Prune over-wintered tender plants Feed all fruit trees Keep small area of ponds ice-free Dig a new pond Clear out your garden shed		Around the Garden and Home Flower Garden - February Kitchen Garden - February Containers - February Under Cover - February House and Conservatory Plants - February Lawns - February
	Last Chance to...  Do winter digging Prune apple and pear trees Prune wisteria