February sucks….. well, the enthusiasm for outdoor gardening at least. It’s an odd month, not really deep winter, hardly early spring but if there are a few bright days, get out and complete any winter jobs such as pruning and preparing for the real spring. Take care digging over a plot, bad backs are the bane of gardening; prepare the ground in small sections, not all at once.
If you are into vegetable growing, start off some First Early potatoes. You can use old egg boxes or seed trays (with the inserts fitted) with the eyes uppermost in a cool, frost free place to get the tubers to sprout. No space in the garden? Use old plastic soil bags, large pots/baskets/tubs about 3 tubers per container. Loads of “how to” tips on the www so have a go.
Around the middle of the month, sow some early broad beans, a much underrated veg. You can sow tomato seed in a propagator or airing cupboard, but you need a heated greenhouse to carry on growing them, tomatoes hate the cold.
You can also start off brassicas, just sow about 6-8 seeds in a small pot and transplant them into a 3 inch container when big enough to handle, harden off in March and you get a head start on outdoor sown plants. Tip. Brassica seeds especiall, keep fertile in an airtight container for up to 8 years, so sow very few a couple of times a year. Other veg. seeds keep up to 2-3 years. If they do not germinate then, buy a new packet but try first, don’t waste them.
If you are interested in bio-diversity and wildlife, you might like to join the Woodland Trust in their efforts to plant trees. Just type in Woodland Trust.
Signing off from ‘Greenish fingers’