Lots of seedling planting to be done this month either in a heated propagator or inside.
General Garden
Prune clematis, buddleia and hydrangea
Continue deadheading if not yet finished.
Vegetable Planters
Prepare planters (weed and top up with fresh compost)
Good month for planting shallots, broad beans and garlic
Continue chitting potatoes (egg box method to encourage eye growth)
Direct plant broad beans and early peas for a May/June harvest. Start them in the greenhouse/cold frame to give them a start.
Rhubarb can be forced (put a bucket over the crown) – the stalks will grow in the dark.
Fruit Cage
Feed fruit trees and bushes by sprinkling sulphate of potash fertiliser around the base.
Great month for planting raspberry and blackberry canes (weather permitting).
Prune gooseberries and currants removing old stems.
Growing in the Greenhouse
Star onions in modules (ok for unheated greenhouse).
Also Lettuce, rocket, radish, aubergines, brussel sprouts, beetroot, courgette, cucumbers, onions, cabbages, turnips and spinach (these all need heat). Sow sweet peas in deep pots
Flowers such as Ageratum, Antirrhinum, Calendula, Cornflower, French Marigolds, Nigella, Rudbeckia, Salvia, Scabious and Zinnia.
Chilli / pepper plants but with a heated propagator. Same with tomato seeds.
Prepare strawberry plants – light water and cover with plastic – keep warm.
Harvest
Leeks, parsnips and swede can come up now also brussel sprouts and possibly broccoli.
Summary
| Week 1 | Onions Seeds – sow under glass / indoors |
| Week 2 | Broccoli (sprouting) early varieties – begin harvest |
| Week 3 | Potatoes– chit / sprout seed potatoes |
| Week 3 | Cauliflower (autumn) – prepare ground |
| Week 4 | Broad Beans – sow seeds in pots for spring planting |
| Week 4 | Broccoli (sprouting) late varieties – begin harvest |
| Week 4 | Celery – sow seeds indoors |
| Week 4 | Sweet pepper – sow seeds |
| Week 4 | Peas / mangetout – Sow early types under cloches |
| Late Feb | Asparagus – prepare ground for crowns |
