THINGS TO DO IN FEBRUARY
February is a good time for pre-spring cleaning, ensuring you are ready for the new season.
Wash your pots and seed trays using household disinfectant to remove dirt and old compost. Rinse the containers in warm clean water and store in a clean dry area.
February is also an ideal month for preparing the soil for the coming spring. The traditional enemy to this operation is the weather as very few people fancy breaking up rock hard or soaking earth.
To get around this problem, cover the area with sheets of polythene held down by bricks or other heavy objects. This will provide protection against the excesses of the weather and ensure that the soil can be worked. Roll back the sheet to dig when you have time and replace afterwards.
On the subject of soil, if you are unable to start digging, cover the soil with a layer of compost. This can then be dug into the surface later in the year in preparation for planting.
It is also a good time to spread a mulch of compost, or bark over your borders and between your shrubs. Take care not to cover any dwarf bulbs now in flower.
Check that tree ties are not cutting into the tree. Storms and heavy winds are particularly liable to cause damage to ties.