Gardening Jobs for February: What to Do in Your Garden This Month

Start by clearing and raking your flower beds to prepare for hardy annuals. This simple step refreshes the soil and removes winter debris.

If you have a greenhouse or seed trays, now is the time to start sowing hardy annual seeds indoors. Varieties like Ammi majus, Calendula officinalis 'Snow Princess', Verbena bonariensis, and Zinnias make excellent choices. Just be careful not to sow too densely – low light in February can cause seedlings to become leggy.

Slow-growing plants such as antirrhinums and cobaea can also be sown undercover now. Don't forget to order summer-flowering bulbs like dahlias and gladioli to plant later.

Boost your garden’s health with organic fertilisers such as fish and bone or pelleted chicken manure, following the packet instructions carefully.

Keep an eye on container plants, especially during dry spells, and water as needed. If you took tender perennial cuttings last autumn, pot them on now to encourage healthy growth.

1. Prepare soil for asparagus planting, and use cloches to warm the ground for early sowing of broad beans, carrots, hardy peas, and parsnips.
2. Continue sowing indoor tomatoes, chilli peppers, aubergines, and cucumbers to get a head start.
3. Sow onion seeds or sets in trays for planting out in late March—Spring Onion 'North Holland Blood Red' is a tasty, reliable choice.
4. Sow broad beans in root trainers for planting out in 4-6 weeks and peas in guttering filled with soil for easy management.
5. For fresh salad leaves, sow corn salad, rainbow chard, mizuna, rocket, winter purslane, and mustard undercover. Growing salad greens in small pots or gutter pipes makes them easy to tend and harvest.
6. Try sowing radishes too—they grow quickly and add a satisfying crunch to salads in just 6-8 weeks.
7. Plant garlic now—it will slowly establish through winter and burst into growth come spring.
8. Sow hardy peas under fleece to give them a head start for the spring growing season.
9. Once crops have finished, dig over veg beds to break up large soil clumps and improve drainage.
10. Don’t forget to cover productive salad plants like salad rocket or perpetual spinach to protect them from frost.

February is a perfect time to start growing herbs indoors or in a sheltered spot.

1. Sow hardy annual and biennial herbs like chervil, parsley, and coriander indoors. Soaking parsley seeds in warm water overnight before sowing can speed up germination.
2. Perennial herbs such as French sorrel, chives, lovage, and leaf fennel can also be started now, especially with a little bottom heat.
3. If your mint looks straggly, pot it up to encourage fresh growth. Simply dig up a small clump, separate a healthy section, cut a few lengths of root, and replant them in pots. This way, you’ll have fresh mint ready for potatoes and salads later in the year.

Although it’s still winter, there are plenty of crops you can enjoy:

• Brassicas: Brussels sprouts, red and green cabbages, cauliflower, kale, purple sprouting broccoli
• Roots: Jerusalem artichokes, parsnips, salsify
• Salad leaves: chicory, endive, hardy lettuces, mizuna, salad rocket, mustard leaves
• Edible flowers: violas
• Leafy greens: chard, perpetual spinach
• Stems: leeks, cardoons
• Herbs: parsley, chervil, coriander, winter savoury, rosemary, sage, bay

February is also a great month to tackle some odd jobs:

• Clean your cloches with soapy water to keep them clear and effective for early seed sowing.
• Remove slippery mud and moss from patios and paths by scrubbing and rinsing.
• Keep your beds and vegetable patches weed-free now to ease spring planting. Dig out any perennial weeds you find.
• Avoid walking on frosted lawns to prevent damage. If conditions allow, consider re-cutting lawns or installing permanent border edging.
• If you plan to sow a new lawn in spring, prepare the soil now by removing weeds and roughening the surface to help frost break down clumps.
• Check and sharpen your garden tools to ensure they’re ready for the busy months ahead.
• Prepare plant supports so they’re ready when you need them.