February (in the garden) should be cancelled due to lack of interest.

February is a month to contemplate the reality of what one can do in the garden; it is a month for catching up on jobs that have lingered in the nether parts of the mind, and never surfaced. It is not a good month for planting or pruning; winter weeds still accommodate the soil and can be removed, little growth is produced, flowering is minimal at best.

Lying out in the garden taking the sun and sea breeze is definitely questionable unless one has imbibed too many Dark ‘n Stormys, so what is left is open to speculation. It really is a non-month, and from a gardening point of view, could be eliminated from the calendar.

January was abnormally windy and wet, wind damage in exposed areas was heavy on foliage and branch systems, but that is part of the gardening cycle. Rake up debris and leaves and cut snagged branches, flower beds and, in many cases, lawns are still fairly sodden from the heavy rains, best to let nature take its course, so sit back and relax, it’s February and anything can happen.

Let’s be realistic, February is usually wet and can be windy, so leaves and debris get blown around constantly. Therefore, the question arises, is it worth having a continuous clean-up of these, or just do a clean-up once every two weeks — or once? Time is better spent in removing stumps or dead or dying plants, fixing fences, repairing footpaths and generally doing tasks not done — though should be — during the rest of the year.

Look at this month in dollar terms. Is the garden being given a “face-over” just for something to do? Is the grass being mown because it is in the contract? Are the hedges or plants in beds being geometrically designed to skeletonised monstrosities? Neither should be touched unless we have had a very late Indian summer as more harm than good can emanate from such practices. Maintenance, in my opinion, should be carried out on an as-and-when-required approach, which means a variable timeline on a monthly basis. When growth is active the garden will require more attention, but especially the exercise of pruning should be regulated, as more time is wasted constantly pruning hedges and garden plants when the labour should be channelled into other needs such as weeding. Mowing should be viewed as a rare commodity at this time of year, unless one has weed-ridden lawns and these can be controlled with — dare I mention it — a strimmer and then a weed killer which should be specific for the type of weed. As is always the case in the garden, “if all else fails, read the instructions”.

Plants are not necessarily at their best in plant nurseries, but if you intend to do some work once temperatures start to rise you may find the range of plants to your liking and with careful selection purchase ahead of time for spring planting. Keep them in a relatively protected area and they should start to resemble their true character come late March onwards, and if you have chosen wisely you should be well on your way to creating quick growth once planted.

The one redeeming feature of gardening in February is that it’s possible to use annuals, especially in protected areas, as they do add some life and colour — which translates to interest. They will not tolerate salt-laden winds so be careful where you plant them, they can of course be planted in pots to add a touch of colour to a patio or focal point within the garden.