Top 10 Things to Do in the Garden in February
With summer at its peak there's plenty to harvest, pick and sow in the garden during February
It may be hot outside for humans but the plants in your garden will still be going hard during this productive time and will need your attention. Clever gardeners get outside early in the morning or late in the day during February to carry out important tasks such as watering, mulching, planting, picking crops before they’re too big and tasteless (we’re talking about you, zucchini), deadheading flowers and even saving seeds for next spring.
2. Don’t forget succulents
While succulents need less water than other plants, they will look healthier if they are watered when dry during the spring/summer growing season (less water is needed in winter). If your soil is very free draining, water succulents like Aeonium, Agave, Yucca, Dracaena, Sedum and Kalanchoe regularly during the height of summer.
While succulents need less water than other plants, they will look healthier if they are watered when dry during the spring/summer growing season (less water is needed in winter). If your soil is very free draining, water succulents like Aeonium, Agave, Yucca, Dracaena, Sedum and Kalanchoe regularly during the height of summer.
3. Plant zucchini
While the weather is warm, keep planting zucchini. These easy-to-grow, highly productive plants are a must-have summer vegetable as they can be used in so many ways: delicious on the barbie, grated into salads and fritters, sliced onto pizzas or grated as part of the crust, and many cooks even use them in cakes and muffins.
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While the weather is warm, keep planting zucchini. These easy-to-grow, highly productive plants are a must-have summer vegetable as they can be used in so many ways: delicious on the barbie, grated into salads and fritters, sliced onto pizzas or grated as part of the crust, and many cooks even use them in cakes and muffins.
Love gardening but dislike your current garden? Find a landscape gardener to make your backyard dreams come true.
4. Harvest tomatoes
Sun-ripened tomatoes have the best taste but sometimes you need to beat the birds by picking a few tomatoes a little earlier, just as they start to ripen. They’ll soon ripen inside if left in a bowl (never leave them in the fridge, which causes tomatoes to lose their taste).
Picking some fruit earlier will also reduce the weight load on the branches and ensure the plants can produce sufficient nutrients for the remainder of the crop. Regularly pinch out laterals (diagonal shoots that grow in the angle between branches) so the plant’s energy goes into growing fruit, not leaves.
Browse more marvellous gardens
Sun-ripened tomatoes have the best taste but sometimes you need to beat the birds by picking a few tomatoes a little earlier, just as they start to ripen. They’ll soon ripen inside if left in a bowl (never leave them in the fridge, which causes tomatoes to lose their taste).
Picking some fruit earlier will also reduce the weight load on the branches and ensure the plants can produce sufficient nutrients for the remainder of the crop. Regularly pinch out laterals (diagonal shoots that grow in the angle between branches) so the plant’s energy goes into growing fruit, not leaves.
Browse more marvellous gardens
5. Save flower seeds
Growing plants from seed is a great way to keep your gardening budget low. If you’d like to collect your own seeds, leave dead flowers to set seed that you can store over winter for sowing next season.
Easy-flowering annuals and perennials that grow from seed include aquilegia, Californian poppy, cosmos, delphinium, dietes, helleborus, honesty, Iceland poppy, libertia, lupin, nasturtium, snapdragon, sunflower and sweet peas. Don’t collect seeds on a rainy day as it needs to be dry. Store seeds in a paper bag somewhere cool and dry, and remember to label it with the plant’s name to avoid confusion next spring.
Growing plants from seed is a great way to keep your gardening budget low. If you’d like to collect your own seeds, leave dead flowers to set seed that you can store over winter for sowing next season.
Easy-flowering annuals and perennials that grow from seed include aquilegia, Californian poppy, cosmos, delphinium, dietes, helleborus, honesty, Iceland poppy, libertia, lupin, nasturtium, snapdragon, sunflower and sweet peas. Don’t collect seeds on a rainy day as it needs to be dry. Store seeds in a paper bag somewhere cool and dry, and remember to label it with the plant’s name to avoid confusion next spring.
6. Harvest beans
For the best flavour, pick dwarf beans (also known as French beans) and runner beans when they’re young and tender. This also encourages plants to flower and produce a greater crop. After you have finished harvesting all your beans, cut off the tops of plants at soil level, leaving roots in the soil to release nitrogen as they die down.
For the best flavour, pick dwarf beans (also known as French beans) and runner beans when they’re young and tender. This also encourages plants to flower and produce a greater crop. After you have finished harvesting all your beans, cut off the tops of plants at soil level, leaving roots in the soil to release nitrogen as they die down.
7. Gift plants on Valentine’s Day
Rather than the traditional roses of Valentine’s Day, why not give your beloved something more exotic this year, such as a gardenia plant? Those of us with warm, sheltered gardens are lucky to be able to grow these fragrant shrubs in the garden, although they’ll do well in pots in very frosty places. To keep them flowering well, spray leaves regularly with water and feed with liquid fertiliser.
From Bird of Paradise to Begonia: Flowers and Their Meanings
Rather than the traditional roses of Valentine’s Day, why not give your beloved something more exotic this year, such as a gardenia plant? Those of us with warm, sheltered gardens are lucky to be able to grow these fragrant shrubs in the garden, although they’ll do well in pots in very frosty places. To keep them flowering well, spray leaves regularly with water and feed with liquid fertiliser.
From Bird of Paradise to Begonia: Flowers and Their Meanings
8. Sow or plant bok choy
Also known as pak choi, bok choy is a member of the brassica family (like cabbage and broccoli). Seed from this leafy, easy-to-grow, nutritious green vegetable can be sown directly into the ground, seed trays or boxes. Keep thinning out seedlings as they develop, leaving about 20 centimetres between each one. Transplant into the garden or planter boxes spacing seedlings 30 to 45 centimetres apart, approximately three to four weeks after planting your seeds.
In some parts of the country you can sow bok choy seeds successively throughout the year, but make sure plants won’t be maturing when the weather is very hot or they will flower and run to seed very quickly (as will lettuce and spinach).
Also known as pak choi, bok choy is a member of the brassica family (like cabbage and broccoli). Seed from this leafy, easy-to-grow, nutritious green vegetable can be sown directly into the ground, seed trays or boxes. Keep thinning out seedlings as they develop, leaving about 20 centimetres between each one. Transplant into the garden or planter boxes spacing seedlings 30 to 45 centimetres apart, approximately three to four weeks after planting your seeds.
In some parts of the country you can sow bok choy seeds successively throughout the year, but make sure plants won’t be maturing when the weather is very hot or they will flower and run to seed very quickly (as will lettuce and spinach).
9. Plant dahlias
We used to call them ‘nanna flowers’ but now these long-flowering Mexican perennials are appearing in all the right gardens, especially varieties with vibrant colours and fancy shapes. Dahlias need plenty of sun and shelter from the wind and require fertile soil with good drainage.
Planting tubers now means your dahlias should be in flower by autumn. Water regularly after planting and stake the tall varieties to avoid wind damage. Gardeners in frosty places should lift dahlia tubers before winter and store them in a dry place until you can plant them out again in spring.
We used to call them ‘nanna flowers’ but now these long-flowering Mexican perennials are appearing in all the right gardens, especially varieties with vibrant colours and fancy shapes. Dahlias need plenty of sun and shelter from the wind and require fertile soil with good drainage.
Planting tubers now means your dahlias should be in flower by autumn. Water regularly after planting and stake the tall varieties to avoid wind damage. Gardeners in frosty places should lift dahlia tubers before winter and store them in a dry place until you can plant them out again in spring.
10. Plant sweet corn
Summer wouldn’t be the same without fresh corn. For those in the hotter parts of the country it’s not too late to sow seeds now. In cooler areas, either select a variety that has a short growing season or buy established seedlings. Feed plants regularly with a general garden fertiliser that is high in potassium. Plants also need to be watered regularly, especially when cobs are forming.
Tell us
What other tasks does your garden ask you to do in February? Tell us how you keep your green patch thriving in the Comments, like this story, save your favourite images and join the conversation.
More
Want more garden love? See 15 Productive Garden Ideas That Won’t Eat Up Your Backyard
Summer wouldn’t be the same without fresh corn. For those in the hotter parts of the country it’s not too late to sow seeds now. In cooler areas, either select a variety that has a short growing season or buy established seedlings. Feed plants regularly with a general garden fertiliser that is high in potassium. Plants also need to be watered regularly, especially when cobs are forming.
Tell us
What other tasks does your garden ask you to do in February? Tell us how you keep your green patch thriving in the Comments, like this story, save your favourite images and join the conversation.
More
Want more garden love? See 15 Productive Garden Ideas That Won’t Eat Up Your Backyard
February is one of the hottest months of the year so it’s essential to keep moisture-loving plants (many of which are up to 90 percent water) thoroughly hydrated. Remember, a long soak (ideally first thing in the morning) is much better than light sprinkles as it encourages deeper rooting, which helps give plants better pest- and drought-resistance. But don’t water if you’ve had a good rainfall (more than 25 millimetres) in the past week. Adding organic matter to your soil will improve its ability to retain moisture, as will mulching.
Container plants need more water than those in the ground due to their restricted soil area. Give them a good soak at least three times a week when it’s super hot.