Frost-free February?

February Gardening Tips

This year, we’ve already seen some of the hardest frosts for a long time – don’t be deceived by a few snowdrops, it’s not Spring yet.

Even though some new life is emerging, a Frosty February could easily put pay to that. Here’s my tips for the month:

• Check soil moisture levels with a little dig around your trees and shrubs and don’t be afraid to water if needed. Its very easy to forget this time of year that plants need moisture all year round, particularly as some begin to wake up for the Spring.

• Prune shrubs, trees and climbers to the desired shape or size. If you don’t do this now, they could easily out-grow the space they are in and look untidy when you want them to be at their best.

• So long as the ground isn’t hard with frost, now’s a time to divide perennials that flower after mid-June – for example ornamental grasses and geraniums. This will give a fuller garden display next season.

• If you missed planting bulbs in the Autumn, now’s the time to plant spring flowering bulbs such as daffodils, tulips and crocus ‘in the green’, i.e. in pots that have been brought on to leaf up over winter in the greenhouse.

• Start sowing vegetable seeds indoors ready for planting out in March/April when the weather permits, but be prepared to delay if temperatures are too cold during April.

• As there is still a risk of frost, I’d advise holding off cutting your lawn as long as you can. If you really have to, cut the grass on a very high setting, but definitely not if your lawn is waterlogged or frozen.

If all of this sounds like too much hard work, the GreenArt Care & Development Team will be happy to help.

Happy Gardening,

Gavin