February

I find February is a frustrating month for the gardener. You have got rid of January and can start thinking about the spring, and all the good things you are going to plant and enjoy. But then the weather kicks in.
So far this month we have already had some very cold weather and heavy frosts, and this sets you thinking , “well it’s certainly cold, but it’s dry and I could get some ground turned over”. Then the next low pressure rolls in and we get days of rain and mist. Certainly it’s warmer, but the ground is far too wet to work on, so it still doesn’t get done! Then you have to content yourself with the fact that it is still only early February and believe it or not –‘there is still plenty of time’.
Every season is different. We gardeners talk about an ‘early spring’ or a ‘late spring’ which basically relates to when we were able to start doing some real work, and get something in the ground, which is really what it is all about. I know I have found over the years that whatever frustrations the weather throws at you, Mother Nature usually gives you an opportunity….eventually!
However frustrated you may feel however, if you look closely you will always be able to see promises of growth. The obvious ones are the daffodils, pushing their way up through frozen ground declaring that whatever the weather they will still give you lots of colour and hope for the summer. My pruned roses are covered in lots of new growth, some of which I will cut back again shortly to produce a fabulous summer show.

I have a Scottish rowan tree with lots of new shoots forming, and a banksia rose which is getting ready to rapidly grow everywhere and give a wonderful show of it’s pretty yellow flowers. So, there is always something to look forward to.
I now have some ground prepared in the vegetable garden where, when conditions permit, I will put in the shallots. I have yet to purchase onion sets, but as we creep into March they will also be a priority for planting. I have both first and second early potatoes ‘chitting’ in the back bedroom, but again it will be March before they go into the ground.

Potatoes chitting nicely

I will be aiming to sow tomato seeds by the end of the month, and this year I am reverting to the old favourites of the ever reliable ‘Gardeners Delight’ for the cherry tomatoes, and ‘Shirley’ for the more conventional. As I said in a previous note I am not very good at trying new varieties when I know I have one that is successful.
When it comes to sowing new seeds I am very fond of my electric propagator! Some may say this is cheating a bit, but it does provide an ideal environment for that all important initial germination. It doesn’t always guarantee success, but on the whole gives a much better chance of seeing those seeds spring into life. However once germination takes place you have to take extra care with light levels, because if you are using your propagator in the house the new little shoots will rapidly bolt and lean towards the nearest light. When this happens in my house there is a lot of walking up the garden path to the greenhouse with the propagator under my arm and then bringing it back in the evening! But, hopefully you will be rewarded with nice even little green plants.
So, I suppose February is a ‘getting prepared’ month, so that when conditions are right you can really get started! Some of you will already have sown seeds and plants and are gently nurturing them by keeping them warm and well protected. Others will still be planning and clearing ground etc, but hopefully then end result will be the same for all of us.

We do love our gardens, and when somebody calls and says, ‘the garden looks nice’, it makes it all worth while!

Just remember to stand back and enjoy it from time to time!

Maurice Bard

Signs of spring