Spring is in the air

 Garden preparations for Spring


Protect new spring shoots from slugs

Plant shallots, onion sets and early potatoes

Plant summer-flowering bulbs

Lift and divide overgrown clumps of perennials

Top dress containers with fresh compost

Mow the lawn on dry days (if needed)

Cut back Cornus (dogwood) and Salix (willow) grown for colourful winter stems

Weeds come back in to growth - deal with them before they get out of hand

Start feeding fish and using the pond fountain; remove pond heaters

Open the greenhouse or conservatory doors and vents on warm days

Preparation for Spring

Tasks to undertaken in the garden in February

Prepare vegetable seed beds and sow some vegetables under cover

Chit potato tubers

Proctect blossoms on appricots, nectarines and peaches

Net fruit and vegetable crops to keep the birds off

Prune winter-flowering shrubs that have finished flowering

Divid bulbs such as snowdrops, and plant those that need planing 'in the green'

Prune Wisteria

Prune hardy evergreen hedges and renovate overgrown deciduous hedges

Prune conservatory climbers

Cut back deciduous grasses left uncut over the winter