Jobs for early Spring, to kickstart your garden:
Prune, prune, prune! Prune roses ready for new growth. Sprinkle slow-release fertiliser around the base of roses and other flowering shrubs.
Prune late flowering clematis Group 3 cutting stems back to healthy buds about 30cm from base.
Prune winter-flowering shrubs that have finished flowering such as mahonia, winter jasmine and heathers.
Prune buddleja and elder to the base to keep their size manageable.
Prune wisteria side shoots to three buds from the base, to encourage abundant flowers in spring.
Transplant deciduous shrubs growing in the wrong place, while they are dormant.
Pot up containers with hardy spring bedding, such as primroses, wallflowers& forget-me-nots.
Chit potato tubers in a cool, light room – arrange in egg boxes or wooden trays with the eyes uppermost.
Cut back herbaceous perennials to make way for new growth, dividing up large, congested clumps to make new plants.
What to Plant in February:
Make an early sowing of sweet peas
Sow hardy perennials such as echinaceas, dianthus, verbena
Prepare veg seed beds and sow some veg under cover: If not too cold, begin sowing broad beans, beetroot, and parsnips direct into the soil from the end of February (protect these early crops with a bit of hessian or fleece). Alternatively start seeds under glass or on a windowsill, in a large plug tray so the seedlings get to a good size without the need for pricking out Plant tender summer-flowering bulbs like gladioli and dahlias
