February maintenance

What to do in your garden in February

·         Prune your wisteria to two or three buds

·         Near the end of the month, prune summer flowering clematis

·         Cut down winter shrubs grown for their colourful winter stems to the base

·         Cut back old foliage from ornamental grasses to a few centimetres off the ground

·         Prune overwintered fuchsias to one or two buds on each shoot

·         Prune winter flowering jasmine after flowering to encourage new growth for next year

·         Prune winter flowering shrubs once their colourful winter display has finished

·         Cut off old hellebore leaves to remove possible diseases such as leaf spot

·         Trim winter flowering heathers once the flowers disappear

·         Now is the time to move deciduous trees and shrubs, provided the soil isn’t waterlogged or frozen

·         Plant lily and allium bulbs

·         Plant bare root roses for a summer display, but not in the same place as old roses were grown. This can cause the new roses to suffer from replant diseases

·         Plant fragrant winter flowering shrubs ready for next winter

·         Trim deciduous hedges before birds start nesting

·         Vines such as ivy can be cut back now

·         Remove any reverted green shoots on variegated evergreens to prevent reversion taking over

·         If the grass is dry, set the mowers cutting height to its maximum and cut the grass

·         Hang fat balls and keep bird feeders topped up to attract birds

Information taken from the Royal Horticultural Society (https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/in-month/february/) and Thompson and Morgan (http://www.thompson-morgan.com/what-to-do-in-the-garden-in-february)