Gardeners: Get Ready For The Year Ahead

(Article by Michael Durdle from 'Speak Out Buxton Team Parish magazine')

February can be a cold and unpredictable month, all we can rely on are evergreens, bright stems and early flowering shrubs to add colour and interest to our gardens( coupled with the knowledge things can only get better!). My main occupation at the moment, apart from the list below, is willing on an ever-growing collection of spring bulbs, which are coming up very early this year.

Here are a few jobs I’ll have done by the end of February, at home and in the allotment;

Containers
Stand planted patio pots up on feet to improve drainage and prevent water-logging. Protect pots in very cold spells by moving them to a sheltered position.
Cutting back
Many perennials can be cut back hard now, removing old growth to make room for new shoots that grow up in spring. Stachys Byzantine ‘Silver Carpet’ benefits from hard pruning, cutting away all stems at ground level.
Bulbs
Check bulbs, corms and tubers in storage for signs of rot or deterioration. Remove diseased ones and sprinkle others with sulphur powder to prevent disease attack.
Gutters and butts
Wash down the greenhouse roof to remove grime and let in more light. Clean out the gutters, and empty and clean water-butts.
Snow
Be ready to brush snow from evergreen shrubs and conifers, as the weight can weigh down and damage their branches.
Moving plants
This is also a good time to move shrubs or flowers to a new position if they have outgrown their site. Use our guide to moving a shrub to help you.
Spread mulch
Spread mulch this month before plants get too large. Use a thick layer of compost, pulverized bark or similar material over borders and between trees, shrubs, roses and fruit. This can be applied up to 5-cm to 7.5cm (2in to 3in) thick, if you have sufficient material. Newly emerging perennials should grow up through it. Take care not to cover dwarf bulbs now in flower.
Clean pots and trays
Piles of pots and stacks of dirty seed trays need to be washed out and stored away ready for use this spring. Add in some general household disinfectant, before rinsing in clean water. Using hot water makes the job more bearable on a cold day.
Cover soil for sowing or digging
Covering soil with a large sheet of clear polythene, held down with lengths of wood or bricks, will help keep heavy rain off, so the soil remains dry and workable. Simply roll back the sheet to continue digging when you have the time, replacing the polythene afterwards. This is particularly useful for heavy or clay soils. Also use polythene to warm the soil for early sowings.
Composting
Even if you don’t have time to start the winter digging, try and cover areas to be dug with a layer of compost or manure. This will be worked in by worms over time, or it can be lightly forked in to the surface in spring to prepare the soil for planting.
Tree ties
Check tree ties to ensure they aren’t cutting into the bark. Replace any that are worn or damaged. It is particularly important to check your tree stakes and ties for damage after heavy wind and storms.
Order seeds
Send off to mail-order companies for seeds to sow this spring. An impressive range of new varieties of flowers and vegetables can be found in most catalogues, try some of these exciting introductions to complement your tried and tested favorites. Remember to store seed packets in a cool and dry place, such as in a sandwich box in your fridge, until ready for sowing.
Sow bedding plants
Create a heated area of the greenhouse by using bubble polythene to partition off a small area of the greenhouse. This can then be used for raising plants. Make the first sowings in a heated propagator of summer bedding plants that need a long growing season. These include geraniums, petunias, busy lizzies and nicotianas. Most require a germination temperature of 21C (70 F).
Dividing perennials
Clumps of perennials can be divided and healthy young outer portions replanted into freshly prepared soil.

Any plants or seedlings surplus to requirements please let me know; I’ve talked over the idea of organising a plant swap, which would be a great way to share our plants.
Contact michaeldurdle@aol.com.
Or contact the magazine editors.

Happy Gardening, whatever the weather.