What to do in the garden in February

 In February and early March, during mild spells, prune Clematis groups 2 and 3. 

If it's a group 2 Clematis (in short, characterised by large flowers in midsummer) it needs a lighter prune. If it is a group 3 Clematis (flowers bloom from mid to late summer) it's a harder prune. The words "pruning" and "Clematis" are scary, but here is how to make it easy.

Do not routinely prune early flowering Clematis. These are any Clematis which flower between February and May, and they are varieties such as Clematis Montana, Alpina, Armandii and known as Group 1 (see types of Clematis.)

Because these types of Clematis flower early in the year, if you were to prune now, you would cut off the branches carrying the flower buds.( They flower on old wood- what does this mean?) They only need pruning if they get out of control, and then only after flowering.

February is also the time to prune that other tricky climbing plant, Wisteria. Follow the links for detailed advice on how to Grow and Prune Wisteria and how to make sure your Wisteria flowers. To get Wisteria to flower, it needs to be pruned twice a year, winter and summer. There is a detailed explanation on the Wisteria page and also video on winter and summer prune. If you want your Wisteria to flower, or it has stopped flowering, get pruning.

To germinate seeds this early in the year, it is essential to create a warm, benign environment for germination and for the early stages of the seedlings. Very few gardeners can afford the luxury of a heated greenhouse, which means bringing seed trays into the house, or using a heated propagator mat and site the seed trays in a porch or unheated conservatory. Seeds will need to be placed into a sealed propagator to create a warm atmosphere which will not dry out. Once germinated and established, remove and keep frost free. Light levels are very low in February,  and plants need to be turned regularly to keep even growth. 

The benefits of seeding in February, if all goes well, is that the plants will mature earlier. Sowing in March and April is easier because of the extra light and warmth. Lots of information and advice at How to Sow Plant and Veg Seeds, 10 top tips for successful sowing and germination and what to do with leggy seedlings.

Video advice on sowing seeds and germination.

Suitable for seeding under glass in February are: aubergines, beetroot, chilies, Broad beans, lettuce and rocket and tomatoes. Flower seeds, many of the popular garden plants such as Ageratum, Antirrhinum, Calendula, Cornflower, French Marigolds, Nigella, Rudbeckia, Salvia, Scabious, Sweet Peas and Zinnia. 

The hardier plants such as Broad Beans, Lettuce, and Sweet peas will be easier to sow early because they will withstand the cooler temperature. Equally, the more tender plants, courgettes, cucumbers, ipomoea should be left to later. 

Towards the end of the month and into March, it is easier to germinate and grow on seeds because of the increasing light and warmth. The further north you are in terms of prevailing weather and chill factor, the more you may wish to delay first sowings.

 We associate spring with bulbs, such as daffodils, crocus, hyacinth. However, there are many lovely summer bulbs which although usually planted in the Autumn, if you missed the slot, early spring provides another opportunity.

Bulbs you can plant now include:

1. Allium, (illustrated left Allium 'Globemaster') makes a fabulous display and mixes so well with many popular plants. You can plant Alliums in February, which will flower in late spring and early summer.
2. Allium are easy to grow, lots of images and growing tips. Once established return reliably each year. Crocus has a great selection of Alliums, including the classic A. giganteum  tall with large flowers, the late summer flowering Allium

    sphaerocephalon which looks great with grasses, and 

   the spikey and unusual

   Allium schubertii.

3. Plant Lilies in Feb/March for a great scented display. Lilies dislike heavy soil, which can make them less reliable in subsequent years. If your garden conditions are not ideal with wet heavy clay conditions, it is better to plant in containers. Crocus has some fantastic showy lilies to choose from, including the popular L. Stargazer, Casablanca and the beautiful 'Lotus Elegance'
4. You can plant Anemone now. The corms (bulbs) are best soaked overnight before planting. There are lots of summer flowering bulbs in the garden centres from now onwards. Check the packets carefully as not all are fully hardy. Those which are not frost hardy need to be planted later or protected from frost. The best chance of ensuring summer bulbs flower the following year is to feed them during the growing season, right up to flowering. A Tomato feed is ideal.
5. This is also planting time for crocosmia to flower in late summer. Crocosmia is easy to grow and returns reliably each year. Some varieties can be invasive, which is not uncommon, with some easy to grow plants. At the end of the season, when the crocosmia is dying back, I pull/tug and dig out some new growth along the edges of the patch to keep it in check.

February presents as a turning corner to-wards spring and although the garden appears dormant, there is growth at ground level with tiny buds and shoots appearing. The image left shows early growth on a Sedum reminding us what lies ahead. February is an ideal time to cut back the old top growth. By doing it early, you avoid damaging the new growth coming through. Cutting back later is more difficult because it is harder to cut back without damaging the new growth.

From February onwards, it's time to sow sweet peas which are easy to germinate. Sweet peas are a half-hardy annual so they withstand a good amount of chill. Showy and scented sweet peas are ideal for climbing up an obelisk or fence and  make great as cut flowers. YouTube Video how to sow sweet peas. Illustrated is Sweet Pea 'High Scent', which, as the name implies, is a strongly scented variety. Sweet peas need a fair amount of attention and for long, straight stems, you need to know about the tendrils and how to remove them.  Advice on how to grow sweet peas from seed and growing tips. Video on how to plant sweet peas. 

Prune Mahonia when it has finished flowering. If the Mahonia is looking healthy, with lots of growth and is in good shape, prune it by simply removing the spent flowers. If it is a little straggly, prune out the long shoots and tidy up. 

However, as it matures, Mahonia has a tendency to become leggy with bare stems at the base of the plant, which requires a hard prune. How to renovate a Mahonia. 

If you want to bulk up your snowdrop display for next year, now is the time to plant snowdrops in the green, or to divide up mature clumps.

Plant to the same depth so that the white part of the stem in under the soil and the leaves and flower above. Water well to get established for next year.

Late winter is the time there can be problems in the greenhouse, as the image left, which shows a mould attack. Botrytis is also known as grey mould. This frequently occurs in the winter when the days are cold and damp, especially the damp. Even with watering sparingly, (which is essential in the winter) the lack of sun allows the air to remain cold and damp, which is a threat to the plants. Check the greenhouse plants regularly, physically feel the soil and don't water unless it is dry, which may only be monthly or less. On Mild winter days, open up the greenhouse doors and manual vents to let as much air in as possible. If you get an attack of mould, cut off all infected leaves and if it is severe, move the plant out of the greenhouse to prevent the spread of infection.