Get Expert Gardening Advice

Every month, our gardening experts answer your questions. Watch their answers below and come back next month to submit your own question.

Questions Answered This Month

• How can I protect my greenhouse plants over the winter?
• How do I winter mulch perennials without burying their crowns?
• Can I improve the flowering of an old climbing rose?
• Should I remove a variegated alder tree with coral spots on its bark?
• How do I get rid of worm casts in my lawn?

Previous Q&A Sessions

• October:
  • How to retain water in peat-free compost
  • How to prune raspberries without knowing their type
  • What to do with unripe figs on a tree
  • How to get rid of fuchsia gall mite
  • Whether to pot or plant autumn sale perennials
• September:
  • How to reuse old compost
  • Whether to use pot feet or saucers for containers
  • How to fix a lawn damaged by summer and crows
  • Whether new shoots on a dead wisteria will flower
  • What to do with a plum tree with brown rot
• August:
  • How to revive dehydrated potted hydrangeas
  • What is “loam” in compost
  • How to control black spot on roses without spraying
  • Why runner beans have failed
  • Why brassicas have grown without a center
• July:
  • How often to water dahlias and sweet peas
  • How to treat powdery mildew on plants
  • When to take cuttings of leggy pinks
  • Why vegetable plants are all leaves and no fruit
  • Whether to cut back non-fruiting stems on summer-fruiting raspberries

Submit Your Question

As a Premium member, you can submit your gardening questions to our experts each month. They will choose a selection of questions to answer and share their advice at the end of the month.

Please note that you will not receive an individual response. Come back later in the month to see if your question has been answered.

Introduction

February is a busy month for gardeners, as we prepare for the growing season ahead. Here are some of the tasks that we’re getting up to in the garden this month.

Winter Pruning

One of the most important gardening tasks in February is winter pruning. This involves removing dead, diseased, or overcrowded branches from trees and shrubs. We recommend pruning apple trees while they are still dormant, to maximize the apple harvest later in the year.

Preparing Vegetable Beds

February is also a good time to prepare vegetable beds for the growing season. This involves digging over the soil, removing weeds, and adding compost or manure to improve the soil fertility. We suggest dividing snowdrops once they come to the end of their flowering period.

Starting Seeds Indoors

If you want to get a head start on the growing season, you can start sowing seeds indoors in February. We recommend chitting potatoes and sowing chilli seeds to give plants a long growing season.

Creating a Bog Garden

We are also creating a new bog garden in our garden this month. Bog gardens are a great way to grow plants that love wet, acidic soil, such as carnivorous plants, ferns, and irises.

Planting a Tree

Fastigiate trees are a great choice for small gardens, as they have a narrow, upright growth habit.

Other Gardening Tips for February

In addition to the tasks listed above, here are a few other gardening tips for February:

• Finish any winter projects before the growing season starts in earnest.
• Get bare-rooted trees in the ground while plants remain dormant.
• Start chitting potatoes and sowing chilli seeds to give plants a long growing season.
• Divide snowdrops once they come to the end of their flowering period.
• Plant a fastigiate birch in a border to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Conclusion

February is a busy month for gardeners, but it is also a rewarding one. By following these tips, you can prepare your garden for the growing season ahead and enjoy a beautiful and productive garden all year long.