It's Time To: February

Oh, the humidity!

Spare yourself by heading into the garden early to tick off the jobs that won’t wait.

Trim spent lavender flowers and take the foliage back by one-third. Photo - Robin Powell

Admire

Pink belladonna lilies bloom on dark stems and send a light fragrance into the air.

Ligularia shines with spires of yellow, daisy-like flowers atop jagged green leaves.

Prune

Tidy up geraniums and pot up the prunings.

Clear up spent summer annuals.

Keep deadheading roses to encourage more autumn blooms.

Trim spent lavender flowers and take the foliage back by one-third to prevent woodiness below.

Consider

Start thinking about what spring-flowering bulbs you might like as it’ll be time to place orders soon.

Watch out

Fungal diseases thrive in high humidity so check the foliage of high-risk plants such as begonias and fuchsias for signs of powdery mildew. Treat with a fungicide. Watering the soil rather than splashing the leaves will help decrease the risk.

Keep an eye on your lawn too for brown spots or patches. These could be a sign of African lawn grub or fungal spot and will need treating. Call The Garden Clinic Helpline for assistance in identifying and treatment.

Propagate

Seeds germinate readily in warm humid conditions so if you haven’t had much luck before, try pansies, wallflower or stock now.

Take hardwood cuttings of rosemary, azalea and camellia. Trim a 10cm piece, remove lower leaves, slice a little of the bark and dip into hormone gel. Use your finger to create a hole in a pot filled with propagation mix, then insert and firm in the cutting.

Sow

If you’re growing potted standards, sprinkle some alyssum seeds around the base to create inexpensive and pretty living mulch.