The Garden House Tasks for February

Posted:9 February 2025

Spring is on its way! 

Please bear in mind these tasks are not a comprehensive look at all garden aspects, but relate directly to our monthly work in the Garden House garden, inspiring and teaching the volunteers, students and Friday group gardeners who get stuck in and support the development of this unique Brighton garden.

*sow hardy annuals if you didn’t get round to it in Set/Oct.  To speed germination, if possible give them a bit of bottom heat as it’s still very cold – take off the heat once they’ve germinated. Sweet peas can also be sown now.

*sow Cobaea scandens, Antirrhinums and Nicotiana, as well as chilli’s and tomatoes – try some Cleomes too.  These will all need heat.

*buy snowdrops ‘in the green’ and/or divide ones that have flowered – it’s always a good idea to keep adding to your collection of snowdrops.

*prune Buddleia davidii varieties and Fuchsia magellanica hard – you can manipulate the height of these shrubs by deciding on a framework.

*it’s also time to cut back Clematis that flowered in late spring or early summer – cut back to a pair of fat buds about 30cm from the ground.

*continue pruning roses- Hybrids, shrub and Floribundas.

*prune Wisteria – cut back the side-shoots shortened by summer pruning to two or three buds. Try to avoid cutting off any fat flower buds.

*order your Dahlias and Gladioli (we are going to try to grow them – again!). 

*force rhubarb by excluding light.

*look out for weeds such as Gallium (cleavers).  These germinate early in the year and can easily be pulled out.

*watch out for vine weevils and also remember to check for moulds such as botrytis.

*continue pruning fruits trees and planting bare root trees and shrubs  – take hardwood cuttings to start a new hedge.

*begin to mulch borders (check for emerging bulbs).

*at the end of the month cut back deciduous grasses.  Now is also a good time to cut deciduous hedges.

*continue to divide herbaceous perennials