Never mind about gardening tasks for February! Think about Snowdrops, Daffodils and Hellebores and flowering winter shrubs – far more fun 😊
Personally, I feel February can be more of a gardener’s delight than high summer. We notice these treats as we’re not overwhelmed by a blaze of colour all around us.
Plus there are (usually) fewer gardening tasks to do, giving us more time to enjoy the pleasures of both our own and friends’ gardens, such as looking for snowdrops that like to hide in the flower border. And then heading for the warm indoors and conversation over seed catalogues.
Talking of seeds, they’re looming large in my life right now, as I’m organising a Seed Swap for Biggin Hill Horticultural Society towards the end of the month. Why not come along if you live nearby? Details are on their website.
And still on seed-related topics, did you join in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch? I felt it was a shame I couldn’t include the Owls in my count as they were full of conversation that morning, but they’d gone to bed by the time the other birds were waking. Lovely to hear them though and see a swooping shadow.
3 Gardening Tasks for February
- Valentine’s Day – will you give your love red Roses or sweet violets ? Both have their place as a romantic present; maybe these Romantic garden ideas will help you present your Valentine with a long lasting delight.
- Do you have citrus trees in pots? A lemon tree or an orange tree that spends its summer on your patio and winter in the greenhouse? Now is a good time to top-dress the soil with fresh compost; or, if the trees have been in the pot for some years, check if they need re-potting. This may mean renewing all the compost, or possibly re planting the citrus tree into a larger pot if it’s becoming pot bound. For more How to grow Oranges and Lemons, click the link
- Seeds and seed sowing: a gardening task for February that can be carried out in the warmth of the potting shed or even from your kitchen table. Not sure where to start with sowing seeds in seed trays and modules? We have lots of ways to help you 😊
- Two blogs – How to Sow Seeds Indoors and Tips for recycling & spending less on the tools you need.
- Gardening Workshops – specifically Seed Sowing Tips & Tricks Find more info on the Workshops below
- Theres also a ‘How to’ seed video on our YouTube channel. (11 years old now, but still relevant).
Gardening Tasks for February – extra
The weather is often frosty in February and the soil surrounding plants in containers may freeze. Tempted to pour boiling water on? Not a good idea! Use lukewarm water to gradually thaw out the soil. If its rain soaking the pots that’s your problem, raise the pots off the ground so the excess water can drain away more quickly.
Gardening Workshops in Marie’s garden
Small group workshops so you get plenty of attention. There are a range of topics, some seasonal, but currently on offer are –
- Garden Planning for 2026
- How to Start a Vegetable Garden: What to Grow, Where & How to Grow It
- Seed sowing 101
See Plews Gardening Workshops for more details or head to Eventbrite to book your place
With a mix of practical, hands on demonstration and guided practice, you’ll go home with more gardening knowledge and something to grow in your own garden.
Prices from £18 (earlybird) includes tea / coffee on arrival, materials provided & Eventbrite booking fee
Location is Biggin Hill / Westerham (just inside M25). NB there are steps as the garden is on a hill
Gardens to visit this month
There are displays of Snowdrops (Galanthus) a-plenty across Britain, so it’s worth checking for one near to you. Obviously they’re earlier in southern and sheltered gardens but as different cultivars flower at different times, you stand a good chance of finding a delightful display!
Not just Snowdrops of course, look out for winter flowering shrubs too – their scent will inform you of their presence so maybe that should be ‘sniff them out’
Given that the weather may cause problems, do check the garden is open before visiting, especially if you’re travelling any distance. There are plenty of Gardening Visits to look at in Plews Potting Shed blog if you need ideas of where to go – arranged geographically for your convenience 😉
Garden Talks
Are you the person who organises talks for your local gardening club, WI, U3A, history society, or general club?
Have a look at the Talks page to see if Marie’s wide ranging garden related topics might interest you and your members. Recent ones given include Planting for Shady Front Gardens Trees for Small Gardens, and Record keeping – how necessary is it for most gardeners?
Attending one of Marie’s gardening talks is more than just sitting in a chair and being spoken to. It’s a learning experience and an inspirational journey. She brings her vast knowledge to life with captivating stories, simple explanations and demonstrations.
Would you like more gardening tips, garden design ideas and seasonal gardens to visit?
Why not check out regular gardening articles on a range of topics in Plews Potting Shed?
Marie’s writing has achieved Plews Potting Shed’s standing as it’s in the Top Ten Garden Design blogs and Top Thirty Gardening blogs by Feedspot and she has previously been shortlisted in the prestigious Garden Media Guild Awards.
It’s a garden designer’s blog with a difference. A plantswoman, conservationist and quirky thinker, Marie pulls together different strands of garden related ideas and non-gardening ideas to delight you even if you’re an armchair gardener.
“interesting even if you have no intention of picking up a spade”
Thanks Tim, who is a regular reader if a reluctant gardener!
With a wide range of topics there’s sure to be one that appeals to you! Recent blogs include Wintersweet, Bare Root Fruit Bushes, 12 Gardening Tips for the New Year
Plews Free Gardening Printables for You
A range of free downloadable and printable PDFs on seasonal gardening, garden history snippets, vegetable gardening, garden design, themed planting lists for inspiration, garden planning, record keeping for you and your garden. For example. A Square Foot Garden Plan which goes with the blog What is Square Foot Gardening?
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Happy Winter Gardening!
