Early February
Continue planting trees, shrubs and perennial plants if conditions are suitable.
Plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers.
Plant shallot sets (in colder areas start them off in pots of compost in a cold frame)
If you do not have a cold frame just buy a large clear plastic storage box, drill some holes in the bottom put in a layer of grit, pop on the lid and there is a cold frame.
Look after garden birds by providing food and water- try to tailor the food to the birds you have around.
In heated greenhouses sow Antirrhinums, Begonia semperflorens, Verbenas and Pansies for summer bedding.
Otherwise buy seedlings or baby bedding plants later to grow on.
Sow sweet pea seeds, growing them on in a cold greenhouse or frame.
Buy seed potatoes and stand them on end in trays or egg boxes to chit (begin to shoot)
Potatoes are easy to grow in pots above 30cm (12in) in diameter. To this end store some first early seed potatoes in the fridge bringing some ouT to chit every ten days. The previously chitted ones are then planted in pots and kept in a frost free place to grow. You will then have a succession of
new potatoes to harvest every fourteen days or so.
Mid February
Complete the pruning of apples, pears and soft fruits.
Prune Clematis that have their main flowering period from July onwards back hard to about 30cm (1ft) above the soil.
Cut back dead stems of herbaceous perennials to ground level.
Stock up on pots, labels, twine and other quickly consumed sundries before the season gets into full swing.
Prune back old, woody Mahonia stems to keep the plants bushy.
Buy Begonia and Dahlia tubers as well as other summer flowering bulbs such as
Gladioli.
Cover strawberry rows with cloches for an earlier crop.
Prune Buddlejas and the Spiraeas with colourful foliage, like Spiraea Goldflame, back hard.
Late February
Dig up and divide herbaceous perennials.
Check wall trained plants to see if they require watering as it can get very dry at the base of a wall.
In heated greenhouses sow Dianthus, Lobelia, Ageratum, and multi-bloom Geraniums for summer bedding.
Dig up, divide and re-plant overcrowded clumps of snowdrops.
Prune winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) by trimming back by two thirds shoots that have flowered.
Sow summer cauliflower in trays under glass.