JOBS AHEAD
Check fences, trellises, and garden structures for damage caused by winter storms and repair them before the growing season begins.
Check plant roots that may have been lifted out of the soil by frost or heavy winds. Press them firmly back into place to prevent drying out.
If snow falls again, gently shake it off conifers and evergreens to prevent damage to branches. Avoid letting the snow sit for too long on branches as it can weigh them down and cause breakage.
Organise your seed packets by their sowing dates, so you’re ready to start planting as soon as the weather allows.
Create habitats for wildlife by building a simple bug hotel using hollow stems, twigs, and leaves to provide shelter for overwintering insects.
Keep winter pansies looking fresh by removing faded flowers to stop them setting seed. This will encourage new blooms.
Expand your snowdrop displays by lifting and dividing them while still ‘in the green’. Separate the clumps carefully and replant in groups of three to five bulbs.
Spread a mulch of bark chippings or leaf mould around borders to suppress weeds and retain moisture as the weather warms.
Late February is the perfect time to tidy up with the secateurs. Prune winter heathers, winter jasmine, and mahonia once their blooms have faded.
Wisteria’s side shoots can be cut back to three buds from the main stem to promote beautiful flowers. Likewise, give floribunda and hybrid tea roses a prune.
Prepare veg beds by clearing away weeds and adding a generous layer of well-rotted manure or compost – but only if the soil isn’t frozen.
Place cloches over veg beds in late February to help warm the soil for early sowings of parsnips or carrots.
Sow broad beans directly into the ground or in pots under cover for an early start to the season.
Start onion sets indoors from mid-February to give them a head start. By the end of March, the soil should be warm enough to plant them outside.
Begin chitting your first early potatoes by placing them in egg boxes on a cool, bright windowsill.
Clear away dead leaves and debris from around strawberry plants, giving their new growth space to thrive.
Bare-root fruit trees, bushes, and canes can still be planted if the ground isn’t frozen. Prepare the soil beforehand for the best results.
Open up gooseberry and blackcurrant bushes with a tidy prune to maintain an airy, productive framework.
Encourage early pollinators by placing pots of crocus or other spring flowers near your fruit trees.
Wash and disinfect greenhouse glass and staging to reduce the risk of pests or diseases before the main sowing season starts.
Start sowing cucumber and aubergine seeds in a heated propagator to ensure a strong start for these tender crops.
Pot up rooted cuttings of pelargoniums taken in autumn to prepare them for the growing season ahead.
Check seed packets for summer annuals that can be sown in March. nasturtiums, cosmos, antirrhinums, and lobelias are all great choices to brighten your beds.