Judy's Garden Calendar February
The main focus for the gardener in February is on keeping everything alive, especially on those very hot days. Don’t forget the future, though, because February’s an important month for planning for winter and spring in the garden.
Vegies to sow in February
Spring onions
Spring onions are terrifically versatile – use them in salads, dips, stirfries, soups and a host of other dishes – but they’re often only needed in small quantities. This is why it’s such an advantage to grow your own. Seeds can be sown directly into garden beds and the plants picked as required.
Look for Yates Straightleaf Spring Onion with upright-growing leaves that stand well clear of the soil, making harvesting clean and simple.
Chinese cabbages
If you’ve had problems in the past with Chinese cabbages bolting to seed, think about sowing them now. Start them off in pots in a cool part of the garden. Transplant the seedlings carefully during the milder autumn weather when there’s less chance of them bolting.
Flowers to sow in February – Cornflowers
Amazingly, this attractive plant was given its common name because it’s a weed in the British cornfields. But with cornflower’s tall stems topped with pretty, raggedy-petalled blooms, most Australian gardeners would think themselves blessed if they could grow this pretty plant in weed-like proportions! Yates seed range includes the classic blue cornflower and a mixture of pastel shades. Sow now for a late winter/spring display.
Prune in February
You can prune hydrangeas now, or wait until the depths of winter. Pruning at this time of year gives the plant more time to develop next season’s flowering wood but, by waiting until winter you get to enjoy the lovely, old-chintz colours of the aging blooms. No matter when you decide to prune your hydrangeas, make sure of two things: only cut
those stems that have flowered this season, and make the cut just above a pair of healthy, plump buds.
Also, February’s a good month to prune summer fruit trees, especially the disease-prone apricots and cherries.
Pest watch in February
Two-spotted mites cause bronze discolouration of leaves and, if an infestation is severe, fine webbing covers the leaves. Plants in dry spots are particularly susceptible, and beans are favourites. Watering over the leaves will reduce mite numbers, and a spray with Yates Nature’s Way Natrasoap – both sides of leaves – can also help. The best thing about Natrasoap is that it has no withholding period. Badly-infested flowering annuals should be destroyed – they’re not worth saving.
Keep an eye out, too, for caterpillars. Yates Nature’s Way Dipel or Success are low toxic control options.
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