February might be the cold, tail end of winter, but springtime is only around the corner. There are plenty of flowers, fruits and vegetables to sow and grow this month. Here are our top picks, and for more information about other gardening jobs to start in February, read our helpful companion guide today:
Flowers to sow and grow
In the greenhouse/indoors
– Sow lobelia in a heated propagator. – Plant begonia tubers (hollow side up) in pots of moist compost and cover with a little more compost. Keep them in a bright, frost-free position. – Sow your last lot of begonia seeds under glass or in a propagator for beautiful blooms throughout the summer. Keep them at a constant temperature of around 24-27 degrees celsius. – Sow antirrhinums (snapdragons) and laurentia now to ensure early flowering. – Start dahlia tubers into growth by planting them in pots of compost, maintaining a minimum temperature of 10 degrees celsius.
– Sow certain varieties of value annual flower seeds & value perennial & biennial seeds, such as hollyhocks or stock, in a propagator or inside a polythene bag. Read the individual growing instructions on your seed packet to learn more, and check out our dedicated biennials and perennials sowing guide. – Sow sweet peas in a glasshouse, cold frame or a cool place indoors. Soak sweet pea seeds in tepid water overnight before planting them, to speed up germination. – Grow your own chrysanthemum plants from seed — start them off now in the greenhouse for the earliest blooms. – Sow geraniums (pelargoniums) indoors now for earlier flowers. – Plant or pot on hardwood cuttings taken last year. – Pot on rooted cuttings of tender perennial plants taken last summer.
Plant outdoors
– Plant lily bulbs and allium bulbs. Although best done in autumn, you can get away with planting lilies and alliums until spring. – Plant bare root roses in a sunny position for spectacular summer colour. – Plant fragrant winter-flowering shrubs to add interest to borders, such as daphne, viburnum x bodnantense 'Dawn', witch hazel (hamamelis x intermedia) and wintersweet (chimonanthus praecox).
Vegetables and herbs to sow and grow
In the greenhouse/indoors
– Start growing (chitting) early potatoes on a windowsill indoors. – Start sowing cucumber and tomato seeds for the greenhouse, in warm conditions. – Sow peas — try sowing them in upcycled guttering with drainage holes drilled in the bottom. – Start asparagus pea seeds under cover for planting out in late spring. – Sow aubergine seeds now for indoor crops this summer. – Grow your own basil on the windowsill to flavour your favourite Italian dishes and fill your kitchen with heady Mediterranean aromas. – Start early sowings of brassicas under cover. Try Brussels sprouts, summer cabbage, cauliflower 'All the Year Round', and calabrese 'Aquiles'. – Start slow-growing celeriac seeds now under cover.
In the cold frame/under cloches
– Sow broad beans, carrots, parsnips, early beetroot, salad onions, lettuces, radish, peas, spinach and summer cabbages outside under cloches, if you have light (sandy) soil and live in a mild part of the UK. Otherwise it's best to wait until the soil has begun to warm up in March or April. – Grow chicory under cloches, for early summer harvesting.
Direct sow outdoors
– Direct sow hardy broad beans, such as 'Aquadulce Claudia', if the soil isn't frozen.
Plant outdoors
– Plant out garlic and shallots in light soils only; heavy soils still need longer to warm up. – Plant Jerusalem artichoke tubers.
Fruit to sow and grow
– Plant raspberry canes and blackberries provided the soil isn't frozen or waterlogged. – Plant currant plants, such as redcurrants, whitecurrants, blackcurrants and gooseberries if soil conditions are right. – Plant bare-root strawberry plants outside now. Replace plants that are 3 years old or more, as they will have lost much of their vigour. – Plant stone fruit trees, such as apricots, peaches and nectarines. – Plant rhubarb crowns in a sunny position in well drained soil.
Keep one step ahead — what to order this month:
– Order sweet pea seeds to sow under cloches, in a cold frame, or in a cool room. – Buy perennial plants like foxgloves. – Order summer bedding plug plants.