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Edition Twenty three - February 2008
February 2008
This is a wonderful time of year. The days have already started to lengthen and there are plenty of signs of Spring if you look hard enough. We have the whole year to look forward to.
We have decided that we're going to have a vegetable plot at home; we're fed up with buying produce that looks wonderful but tastes of nothing much at all..
We've removed the old greenhouse and ordered a new, much bigger one. We have the digger in at the moment, removing lawn, laying paths and setting out raised vegetable beds and fruit borders..
Hopefully then, there will soon be added interest to this column:- 'In the Allotment'...
Jobs for the month - February
Herbaceous borders
It's always a bonus to be able to get out in the garden at this time of year, and dig over the borders.. Remove all those weeds that have sprung up in the milder weather, but take care not to disturb any bulbs that may be emerging.. Take cuttings from delphiniums when the new shoots have grown about two inches. Lift and divide any clumps of perennials that are more than two years old.
Houseplants
Examine houseplants for pests such as Mealybug and whitefly, both of which have thrived over winter in the mild conditions. Treat with appropriate sprays which may need repeating over the course of a few weeks. Choose which of your houseplants will need re-potting this year and plan to do this during February or March, depending on the weather, just before growth commences.. Plan to take cuttings at the same time.
Greenhouse
If a temperature of about 50f (10c) can be maintained you could start sowing some summer bedding plants.. Tomato seeds can be sown now too.
In cooler conditions there are plenty of vegetables that can be sown this month in the greenhouse; brussels sprouts, cauliflowers, cabbages, leeks, onions and organic lettuce leaves.. Last year I dotted lettuce all around the garden and it was picked most days. Very nice it was too..
Lawns
Lawns in the UK may be quite waterlogged with all the recent rain. Try to keep off them as much as possible until the grass dries out. When conditions are suitable, scarify the lawn to get rid of debris and moss, then apply a Weed and Feed treatment.
Wildlife
From December until February wild life in the garden has been dominated by resident birds such as thrushes and robins, but there will be many more varieties of birds returning as the weather warms up. Animals that hibernate for the winter will start to awaken, especially the hedgehog, a real gardener's friend.. Enjoy the wildlife in your garden and look after them by ensuring there is always water to drink, and if you do feed the birds, keep their food supply topped up.
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Happy gardening till next month....
Index to previous editions of Age-Net gardening column here
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Some web sites of interest to gardeners:
The living theatre of plants
and people
The Eden Project is a gateway into the world of plants and people.
A meeting place for all to discover how we depend on plants and how we
can help to manage and conserve them for our mutual survival.
Gardening
is an important part of many people's lives. You don't have to give up
gardening because of accident or illness, the onset of disability or the
problems associated with growing older. The information on their website
is designed to provide you with the information to Carry on Gardening.
Carry on Gardening was initiated by the horticultural charity Thrive
and is funded by the National
Lottery Charities Board. It brings together information
on easy ways of gardening gathered over 23 years by Thrive and research
carried out since the early 1970s by Mary Marlborough Centre, Oxford,
on tools and equipment for disabled and older people.
www.alantitchmarsh.com Alan Titchmarsh MBE, TV gardener, writer, broadcaster and
thoroughly nice person. Just a few choice words to describe the peoples`
favourite TV gardener. See his website....
Thompson
and Morgan
A growing resource for gardeners worldwide. The site includes
the international online seed catalogues, the young plants catalogue (UK
only), the wholesale seeds catalogue, together with the award winning
Germination Times and a host of other useful information.
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And some reading material:-
"The Yellow Book 2006" contains information of all Gardens of England
and Wales open for charity, from National Gardens Scheme and is available
from all good bookstores throughout the UK priced £7.99. Yellow Book
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