Winter is the time when the hobby gardener doesn't have to do anything and can just relax? Far from it, because the cold season also brings with it a number of tasks, be it frost protection at the beginning of winter, sowing cold germinators in December and January or preparing other plants for the coming season in February. Now that January is almost over, the question arises as to what gardening work needs to be done in February. We have summarized the most important tasks for you so that nothing is left behind.
Outside, it's time to prepare everything for the coming season. The beds need to be refreshed, the garden plants need to be cared for and theCompost preparedbecome. Gardening work in February not only affects the garden itself, but also the future plants, some of which you prepare in the warm weather - regardless of whether you are sowing new ones or preparing the overwintered balcony and terrace plants for the end of hibernation.
What can you plant or sow in February?
If it is still too cold outside, you can grow the plants indoors (in a warm and bright room, in a greenhouse or winter garden). New things can be planted as early as February and there are both vegetables and flowers that you can bring forward now. Here are some examples of what plants can be planted in February. By the way, instead of buying nursery pots, you canmake some yourself.
What flowers to plant in February?
Of course, every hobby gardener also strives for onepretty flowering gardento. Flowers are simply part of it. But instead of buying flowers that are already blooming in the spring, you can grow a few from the seeds this time. What flowers can you plant in February? We have put together a few options in the list below. And while you're at it, consider the herbs mentioned in addition to the flowers in February!
- valerian
- Brunnenkresse
- Lavender
- Oregano
- chive garlic
- chives
- Bartnelke
- Begonias
- Duftnessel
- Verbena
- Yellow Horned Violet
- Common yarrow
- Snapdragons
- Beautiful candle
- Coneflower
- violet
By the way, you can also do it very easilyMix your own potting soil, instead of spending a lot of money unnecessarily.
Which vegetables are ready?
You can also prefer vegetables in February. For this purpose, as with flowers, you can use seeds you have collected yourself or purchased. And if you miss the time or don't feel like growing them in a year, simply grab the plants from the garden center that have already been grown. If for you, moving forward is simply part of gardening in February, you can do the followingSow vegetablesin February:
- Artichokes
- eggplant
- Cauliflower
- Chili
- Eisbergsalat
- Endive salad
- Spring onions
- Celeriac
- Kohlrabi
- Lettuce
- Leek
- Paprika
- Peppers
- Romanian-Salad
- Rotkohl
- Arugula salad
- Snake cucumbers
- Spitzkohl
- Celery stalks
- Tomatoes
- White cabbage
Danger: Zucchini seeds can be collected yourself, but there is a risk that they are poisonous. In their natural state, cucurbits contain a toxin that is hardly present in the seeds of the cultivated varieties you buy. However, if you sow your own seeds, it may regress again. Therefore, prefer to buy the seeds.
What goes straight into the garden in February?
Then there are also types of vegetables andeasy-care herbs, which you can sow in the garden without any worries. This includes:
- Broad bean
- Savory
- Borretsch
- Dill
- chervil
- Garlic
- Parsley
- radish
- chives
Trim trees and bushes
Not just thatAutumn is a good time for topiary. Shrubs that bloom in summer and fall also benefit from winter pruning. On the one hand, the lack of leaves gives you a much better overview of the twigs and branches. On the other hand, it stimulates particularly strong shoots and the plant becomes healthier and more robust. To protect the birds, the law also prohibits pruning from March to the end of September, so February is ideal. Which trees and shrubs are best cut by hobby gardeners in February? In principle, all of them – except for the plants that sprout early. Also, choose a frost-free day, whether early, mid, or late February. Hedges can now also be trimmed.
More gardening tasks in February
- Aerate compost, if you didn't already do this in January.
- Store potatoesfrom February in a cool place so that the shoots begin to form.
- Sunny days are becoming more frequent again and greenhouses can quickly heat up too much during midday. Theregular ventilationis therefore very important so that the plants do not go to waste.
- Ornamental grassesare now cut back to provide space for the new shoots (about two hand widths).
- flowers that you have overwintered,cut back by a third. Then find a place that offers temperatures between 10 and 15 degrees.
- Between February and April is the best time to visitFertilize fruit trees.
- Loosen the bedsand incorporate fertilizer/compost. An important gardening task in Februaryis fertilizing, because in this way you supply the depleted soil with nutrients that the upcoming plants need.
- Water evergreen plantswhen temperatures are above freezing.
- Perennials, which bloom in summer or autumn, share now. So if you ask yourself “what to plant in February”, the perennials you already have in the garden are one option.
- Check garden toolsand repair or replace if necessary.
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