It's Time to Venture Into the Garden
Fulham Horticultural Society offers tips on getting ready for spring
It may still be grey and chilly outside, but there is lots to do in February to start preparing your garden for spring, according to Fulham Horticultural Society.
Here are the society's top ten tips for what you should be doing this month:
- This is a good time of year to apply organic fertilisers such as seaweed meal, blood, fish, and bone, or pelleted chicken manure. They release their nutrients more slowly than inorganic ones, so they will be available to the plants just as they start into growth in the spring.
- Plant bare-root trees and shrubs by digging a generous hole that won't cramp the root system, and incorporating plenty of organic matter. Put in a stake on the windward side so the plant is blown away from the stake to prevent rubbing.
- Plant new climbers by digging a generous hole at least 22cm away from walls and fences so that the plant is not in a dry rain shadow, and leaning the plants into the support.
- Seed potatoes can now be chitted – the process of pre-sprouting before planting. Put seed potatoes in a cool but frost-free place with some light but not direct sunlight. The potatoes will then grow short stubby shoots to get them off to a fast start when planted out. Try rubbing off all but three shoots to help get larger potatoes with the main crops.
- If the weather allows, direct sow broad beans along with early peas such as Feltham First and Meteor for a May/June harvest.
- Jerusalem artichokes and shallots can be planted now, and shallots will benefit from covering with a cloche.
- Greenhouse owners can get an early crop of lettuce, rocket and radish underway.
- Sow summer cabbages, turnips and spinach.
- Onions from seed should be started now. They need a temperature of about 15C to get them going so it can be best to use the windowsill in a cool room to start them off.
- There is still time to finish planting fruit trees and bushes, especially raspberries and other cane fruits, and early this month you can prune apple and pear trees while they are still dormant.
Fulham Horticultural Society welcomes new members and says
benefits of the FHS include a monthly newsletter, free gardening advice via email, group entrances to RHS gardens if trips can be organised (volunteers welcome!) and entrance to its annual show in September.
Find out more about the society here.
February 9, 2018
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