FEBRUARY GARDEN NOTES
By John Draper
The promise of spring is just around the corner and your garden should contain interesting flowers, foliage and scents, despite the cold weather. If it doesn’t contain anything of interest you may want to visit your local garden centre to see what’s naturally in bloom at this time of the year.
Beds & Borders
Sunny days will encourage cyclamen, early crocus and snowdrops to open their flower heads to provide a welcoming splash of flower colour. Some shrubs should also be in flower during this mid-winter time, including witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis) and winter sweet (Chimonanthus praecox). Both provide interesting pale yellow flowers and some stunning perfume that on a sunny day will fill the area.
Patio Tubs & Baskets
Potted camellias and rhododendrons will soon be flowering and it is well worth the effort to place them in the right position so that sunny mornings immediately after a hard frost don’t damage the flower buds. The plants are hardy and don’t mind the cold, frosty weather, but prefer to thaw gently rather than warm up quickly in direct sunshine. Find a spot that is protected from the early morning sun rays.
Position bulbs to get the benefit of every drop of sun, they will flower much earlier than those planted in beds and borders.
Growing Your Own
Home grown is extremely rewarding. Gardening at home or on an allotment provides great regular exercise, so we all feel fitter and healthier, even the children of the family. It benefits our immediate environment by providing growing plants that trap carbon dioxide, provide food and shelter for wildlife and fantastic crops of fruit and vegetables that provide food for your table.
Order seed potatoes now or buy from your local garden centre. When you have them at home place the potatoes, rose end up, in a light but cool room, preferably one that isn’t heated. The potatoes will then start to shoot sturdy green stems (it’s called chitting) so they grow faster when planted outside in March or April. The Lawn
If practical keep off when wet or frosty, as the grass plants will be bruised and they will not repair themselves until spring.
Only mow the lawn if it is necessary. Do not mow if heavy frosts are expected or if the ground is very wet.
Worms will improve the nutrient content of a soil and are beneficial to the soil structure, casts are best left to dry and then swept or brushed away with a stiff brush. Left on the lawn they provide the ideal base for weed germination.
More detailed information can be found on our very own website at www.greenergardens.co.ukYou can also follow us on Facebook at Greener Gardens Lawncare Nottingham.
