Gardeners the world over will know that there is no set date for a gardening job, remember temperatures vary according to where you live, also each year is different, some warmer and some colder, although it is now becoming clear the trend is towards warmer, and garden jobs in February will depend on local conditions. February is often the coldest winter month even if spring is just around the corner. More than any other month what to do in the garden in February will depend on weather conditions, it may be wise to hold off than try to sow in cold waterlogged ground that will rot garden seeds rather than germinate them.
February has abundance of vegetables, such as leeks parsnips, turnips and Swedes, early purple sprouting, kale and Brussels sprouts being available, and can come up when you are ready, especially leeks which may well be standing ready, also make sure that parsnips, turnips and Swedes are covered with fleece or straw to stop them freezing solid into the ground.
The month of February is a gardeners last chance before spring, and if you have finished digging over, creating leaf mould heaps, you may not have a whole lot more to do in February, you can double check the greenhouse, replace any cracked panes and give it a thorough clean, before it is pressed into service.
You will soon be using your pots, seed trays and containers so this is a good opportunity to wash out and sterilize them so your seedlings will get off to the best possible start, seeds planted is clean sterilized trays will grow into healthy plug plants, and can be used as container plants when the time is right.
There is still time to finish planting fruit trees and garden shrubs, prune apple and pear trees while they are still dormant, prepare beds for bedding plants in spring, and protect all delicate garden plants from cruel frosts at this time of the year.
Attractive and vibrant colours and fragrance are at the forefront of most people’s minds when it comes to choosing plants, but if you want to attract wildlife to your garden, then there are a few common plants you could have which provide nectar and seeds, furthermore creatures which will be attracted to them.
You can of course attract wildlife to your garden for example the Dog rose is enjoyed by finches selecting the hips, the primrose, when they flower in spring, they produce nectar and finches are attracted to their seeds, marigold produces nectar for insects, lavender is loved by bees, honeysuckle, both birds and insects are drawn to the nectar, michaelmas daisies attract butterflies, and Ivy its flowers provide nectar for insects and berries for the birds.
