Gardening Calendar - January to March
January
· Dig over any beds you plan to plant up later in the year and incorporate horse manure compost.
· Prune apple and pear trees. Currants, gooseberries and summer fruiting raspberries can be pruned now.
·This is also a good time to plant fruit trees and bushes.
· Spread compost over planting beds to improve the soil ready for the spring.
· Check tree ties and stakes.
· Water houseplants sparingly.
· Pot up amaryllis bulbs and bring them in to active growth by regular feeding and watering.
· Keep hyacinths in a cool bright place for scent at home.
· Prune wisteria, cut back side shoots shortened by summer pruning to 2-3 buds avoid cutting off flower buds.
· Good time to start planning any major landscaping work so it can all be finished before the summer.
· Repair lawns, turf can be laid as long as the ground is not frozen.
· Don’t forget to hang out bird feeders, urban gardens are very attractive in winter because of the extra warmth.
February
· Sow carrots parsnips and onion sets under cloches.
· Chit potato tubers.
· Apply general purpose fertiliser to all tree, bush and cane fruit.
· Divide and plant snowdrops in the green.
· Protect lily, delphinium and hosta shoots from slugs and snails. Use bird friendly slug pellets and don’t forget to treat again after heavy rain.
· Clear weedy beds before mulching with bark chips.
· Cut back late summer and autumn flowering clematis to lowest pair of strong buds.
· Check and repair fences while garden is still dormant.
March
· Weed and mulch around newly planted fruit trees.
· Start sowing most vegetable crops, plant rhubarb and asparagus crowns.
· Sow pots of sweet peas.
· Cut down grasses and perennials left for winter structure.
· Use pansies polyanthus and cyclamen to provide colour in pots.
· Check house plants to see if pot bound, re-pot if necessary
· This is the best month for planting roses in heavy or cold soil.
· Prune established bush and standard roses and feed with a granular rose fertiliser as they come into growth.
· Mow the lawn if the weather is mild and the lawn is showing signs of growth. In late March apply a high nitrogen lawn fertiliser to encourage strong growth and re-seed any bare patches.
