February is when winter starts to fade and spring becomes closer and there are many gardening jobs to be getting on with. The days start becoming longer, which is every gardener’s dream! Temperatures can vary massively in February with the low temperatures being 0.5 ºC and the highest temperatures reaching 10 ºC. The sunny days in February, particularly towards the end of the month, will bring narcissi, cyclamen, and crocus into flower to join the snowdrops. However, February can have some of the coldest days bringing rain, hard frosts, and sometimes snow. Therefore, don’t rush into sowing seeds because there still might be some winter weather to come.
Essential checklist for February
- Prune the shrubs that have become overgrown and misshapen
- Replant snowdrops
- Prepare houseplants for spring
- Prepare the soil with straights
- Cut back ornamental grasses
- Start sowing bedding
- Sow or re-pot sweet peas
- Mulch and improve the soil
- Lime your vegetable beds
- Start preparing outdoor seed beds for early vegetables
- Plant rhubarb crowns
- Dig trenches for runner beans
- Feed the birds and put up nest boxes
Last chance to…
- Prune apple and pear trees
- Complete winter digging
Prune the shrubs that have become overgrown
For the shrubs and deciduous trees that have now become too big and misshapen, February is a great time to prune them. The first step to pruning is cutting out all dead or crossing branches back to a joint. If your plant is too big, it is better to prune lightly rather than drastically. This is because the harder you prune, the stronger the growth tends to be. After pruning then feed the plants with Westland Fish, Blood and Bone.
If the weather is mild, any hardy evergreens, such as laurel that have become too large can be pruned. Late-flowering shrubs such as buddleia and lavatera can be hard-pruned. Hard pruning means cutting the plants almost to ground level leaving just a couple of buds on each stem.
Replant snowdrops
Snowdrops are a cheery sight in the garden at this time of year. Therefore, you can never have too many so dividing and replanting is a great thing to do in February to increase the clumps. As the flowers begin to fade, dig up the snowdrops and gently tease the bulbs apart. Finally, replant the snowdrops in groups of five.
Care for houseplants
This month is all about preparing indoor plants for the upcoming growing season while helping them thrive through the last weeks of winter. Ensure they’re getting enough light, as natural sunlight may still be limited. Move them closer to bright windows but avoid direct drafts from cold air. Watering needs might be lower due to slower growth, so check the soil’s moisture before watering to prevent overwatering. A watering indicator is great for this as it highlights when plants need watering or not.
Dust leaves gently to improve photosynthesis and inspect plants for pests that may have taken hold during the winter. Consider repotting root-bound houseplants, using fresh, nutrient-rich, peat free compost such as Westland Houseplant Potting Mix to give them a healthy boost. Lastly, feeding with a diluted houseplant feed can help set the stage for vibrant spring growth.
Prepare the soil
February is an excellent time to prepare your garden soil for the growing season, especially by using natural plant foods, such as Fish, Blood and Bone. Using Fish, Blood, and Bone is an excellent way to enrich your soil with a balanced mix of nutrients ahead of the growing season. This natural fertiliser provides a slow-release source of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are essential for healthy plant development. Nitrogen promotes strong leafy growth, phosphorus aids root development, and potassium supports flowering and fruiting. Applying it in February gives the nutrients time to integrate into the soil, ensuring it’s fertile and ready for planting in spring. Additionally, it will improve the soil structure and encourage microbial activity, enhancing overall soil health for thriving plants.
Work the feed evenly into the soil, avoiding over-application to prevent nutrient imbalance. Preparing the soil now ensures it’s well-nourished and ready to support healthy plants as spring approaches.
Cut back ornamental grasses
Most grasses will start to pass their best once in February. Therefore, it’s a good time to cut back the dead stems. Cut about 10cm above ground level, but be careful not to damage the new green shoots that are emerging among them.
Sow summer bedding
Summer bedding such as begonias and snapdragons need a long growing season. Therefore, these can be sown now, but use a heated propagator or heated propagator mat to maintain a steady temperature.
Sow sweet peas
Autumn-sown sweet peas can be re-potted in February. For summer flowers, another gardening job in February is to plant sweet pea seeds in a cold greenhouse. See our guide to growing Sweet Peas for more information.
Mulch and improve the soil
Mulching and improving your soil is a proactive way to prepare your garden for the growing season ahead. Mulching helps regulate soil temperature, retain moisture, and suppress weeds, all of which create a more stable environment for plants as they begin to grow in spring. Organic mulches, such as well-rotted manure, compost, or bark, also break down over time, enriching the soil with essential nutrients and improving its structure. February is ideal for these tasks because the soil is often damp and workable, allowing organic matter to integrate more effectively. By adding mulch and enriching your soil now, you’ll provide your plants with a fertile, healthy foundation for robust growth throughout the year. Find out more about the benefits of mulching.
Complete winter digging
Finish any winter digging as part of your February gardening tasks, focusing on new plots and empty beds. However, this job depends heavily on the weather – avoid working the soil if it’s excessively wet or frozen, as this can damage the soil structure and make digging difficult. Instead, wait for drier conditions to complete this essential preparation for spring planting.
Kitchen garden
Lime your vegetable beds
If you are planning on growing cabbages, cauliflower, and sprouts then you may need to lime your vegetable beds because they prefer an alkaline soil to grow in. These vegetables will not need to be planted out until May, but the lime needs to be added at least 2 months before. Check out our Garden Lime for more information.
Prepare some beds for sowing early seeds
Seeds such as lettuce, summer cabbage, broad beans, salad onions, early peas, and spinach can be sown early so it is a good idea to prepare the beds for them. The preparation involves covering the soil for a couple of weeks to warm it up. You can cover it with cloches, a cold frame or horticultural fleece. Before you sow the seed, rake the warm soil to a fine tilth. When it is mild enough, sow the seeds in fine drills. Water the drills before you sow so that the seeds don’t get washed into the deep soil. Then replace the cover. For more information see the Unwins guide to seed sowing.
Fruit trees
February should be the time when you finish pruning apple and pear trees before the sap starts to rise. Don’t prune plums, cherries, or nectarines as pruning now could lead to the fungal disease, silverleaf. Feed all the fruit trees and bushes with Westland. This will help create a good crop of fruit.
Rhubarb plants
Split up any large rhubarb plants that you have and replant them. New rhubarb crowns can also be planted in well-cultivated soil. Dig in some Farmyard Manure before replanting.
Runner beans
If you are planning on growing runner beans, a trench needs to be dug for them. Beans can be grown in a row or a wigwam. Dig the trench 45cm deep and fill it with well-rotted manure. This means you are prepared for when it comes to planting.
Bird care
February is also a great time to care for wildlife. Feeding the birds is especially important now, as natural food sources are scarce during the winter months so make sure your bird feeders are always topped up with high energy foods, like suet, peanuts, and seeds. Peckish Winter Warmer or Peckish Complete are great high energy options.
February also marks National Nest Box Week, which encourages gardeners to install nest boxes to support local bird populations. Adding a nest box to your garden is easy and beneficial; just be sure to position it facing between north and east to avoid the harshest winds and direct sunlight. By supporting birds now, you’ll help create a thriving, wildlife-friendly garden.
Lawn care
If you have a hollow or raised bump in the lawn, then now is the time to fix it. It is relatively easy to do too! Use a spade or lawn edger to cut an H in the affected area and then lift the turf and peel back the two flaps that have been cut. If you have a raised bump, then remove excess earth or if it is a hollow, then add soil. Level the soil and put the turf back in place.
If it is a mild February then you may need to start cutting your lawn, but only a light trim will be needed. If you are planning to sow a new lawn in the spring then now is the time to dig over the area.
Find out more information about caring for your lawn here.
