Gardening Notes

February

• To prolong the season, keep deadheading winter-flowering pansies.
• Yes, you can plant container-grown trees and shrubs any time, but it’s better to put them in now.
• They will establish better and may well need no watering in that first summer .
• On the other hand, put off planting things you know are tender. There is still plenty of time for cold weather, even if we get the odd “spring” day. It’s better to plant tender plants, woody or herbaceous, in May, when they will grow away with no check from cold .
• Time to prune summer-flowering clematis; they are shooting already. Those which flower in both early and late summer should only be tidied up and weak and dead stems removed. Those which only flower in late summer can be cut down to knee-high. Get some compost on those roots too: they are hungry beasts and a mulch helps retain much-needed moisture . 
• Start trimming winter-flowering heathers as they start to fade .
• Put a hoe through areas of loose gravel in paths or parking areas to wallop the first un-noticed generation of seedling weeds .
• If you use residual weed killers, apply them now before the weeds appear.
• If you want to grow a new lawn using grass seed, then start preparing the ground now. Sow the seeds towards the end of March .
• In mild weather, give the lawn its first cut of the year — set the lawn-mower blades at their highest level. Don’t mow if the grass is wet.
• Were some perennials just a little too enthusiastic about spilling over the lawn last year? Lift them now, and replant a smaller piece or pieces further back from the edge. Only replant the strong, outer parts of the clump; have the nerve to throw away the tired old centre .
• Get that compost bin emptied and ready for this year’s filling. Put the drier top layer to one side and, after emptying, put it back in the bottom to inoculate the new heap with worms and bacteria .