February seems to be full of pruning jobs. Its the month to get prepped before lots of green growth so is a good chance if the weather is dry and frost free to prune back to encourage growth this year and also to move plants that are in the wrong place. Its also the quietest time of the year so is a great opportunity to see the ‘bare bones’ of your garden and reflect on what looks good, what works and what might need changing. Here’s my top 5 jobs to do this month:
- Prune back late flowering woody shrubs such as Buddleia, Elder, Caryopteris and Fucshia to the ground to keep their size in check and to encourage new stems that will flower this year. Autumn Raspberries also come into this category. Now is the time to cut all stems down to 10-20cm from the ground.
- Cut back deciduous grasses now too. With shears trim leaves and seedheads back to 20cm so they resemble mounds. Now is also the time to split or move them.
- Its still quite early to be sowing annual seeds but you can start chitting potatoes for early planting. This just means encouraging them to start sprouting. Place them in a light place and when the sprouts are 3cm long they are ready for planting. More advice HERE.
- Its the last chance to cut hedges before the birds start nesting.
- If you can look at your garden from an upstairs window. At this time of year you’ll be able to see the framework or layout of your garden clearly. If you’re confident you can draw a plan from here, noting where paths, beds, patios and key plants are located. This will help if you have a hunch that something isn’t working or if you want to make changes to beds and borders. If you’re stuck book a Hoedown with me so I can help!
Let me know how you get on, and if you have any questions email me renee@thegirlwhogardens.co.uk.
Or book a Garden Hoedown for an hour of one to one garden therapy and you’ll come away with a personalised action plan to get the most out of your garden!