Barbara Stockitt's Guide to Classic Gardening...

February

Check your BOX and YEW is not damaged by heavy falls of snow.  Knock off snow so that the bushes are not spoilt.  If you live in an area where deer are a hazard to your garden, consider planting more BOX because the deer will not eat it. The leaves contain an alkaloid that is toxic to deer. They seem fully aware of this and leave well alone.

HERBACEOUS BORDERS need to be forked over removing as many perennial weeds as possible.

Spread a good general fertilizer around that plants. If the weather is kind plant any additional plants towards the end of the month.

ROSES can be planted towards the end of the month if the weather and the soil conditions are favourable. Climbing roses can be pruned this month (leave ramblers until September). With the modern shrub roses which throw up long vigorous shoots from the base, shorten these by about one third to reduce wind-rock. If your roses are subject to black spot, now is the time to start spraying.

Complete the planting of bare-root deciduous shrubs by the end of the month, but leave the evergreens until April or May.  Check that climbers and wall plants are safely anchored to their permanent support.  Keep protective material nearby, such as fleece, so that plants can be covered in cold weather.

Now is the time to plant bare rooted DECIDUOUS HEDGING in ground that has been well prepared.  On ground that dries out easily the hedges may need watering.  Check if hard frosts or high winds have lifted the plants and tread back in firmly if necessary.

Dig and manure your VEGETABLE plot and start preparing seed beds in readiness for early sowing.  A planting of seed potatoes should be put in shallow trays in the light and kept frost free. This will encourage strong growth.

If you are planning a new lawn start preparing the site now , so that you can sow grass seed in April or May.

This is a good time to feed and manure FRUIT TREES. The three main requirements are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which should be applied on a regular basis.

Early BULBS such as winter aconites will be appearing now and some early snowdrops. For the vegetable plot ,study the seed catalogues and plan where your crops will go.  A number of VEGETABLES can be sown under glass this month.  Bare root FRUIT TREES can still be planted now pruned. Remove any dead leaves or other debris from the lawn. Overhaul your mower so that it is ready for the new season.