February: Say it with flowers
Hi ,
This month, many people are looking forward to telling their loved ones how much they care with gifts, words, and flowers. Find out some of the best alternative flowers to roses to gift your loved ones on Valentine’s Day in my blog.
Read here for my Top 10 plants for your February garden, and for some of the best plants to grow in your Rockery.
Next month, I will be taking to the stage at the Ideal Home Show where I will be talking about transforming your garden, and how indoor plants can benefit your wellbeing. Make sure to plan ahead to catch my talks, which will be on the following dates:
- Sunday 24th of March
- Monday 25th of March
- Wednesday 27th of March
- Thursday 28th of March
- Friday 29th of March
Take the opportunity this month to get ahead of gardening jobs that you will thank yourself for once spring kicks in next month. Start sowing seeds in your heated greenhouse or on your windowsill to prepare for planting in spring. Some great seeds to sow this month include peas, kale, tomatoes, sweet peas, cosmos, salvias and cucumber. You can also plant out garlic and shallots in light soil, and start chitting your potatoes as soon as you have them. To find out more about chitting potatoes, read my blog here.
Please be sure to keep an eye on ITV on Sunday mornings from 10am, where I will be featuring on Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh with some gardening tips to prepare you for spring.
February is a wonderful month for enjoying the lightening days, anticipating spring, and showing your loved ones that you care. For advice and my best gardening tips, visit my website and YouTube channel.
Happy gardening!
David
Gardening tip of the month
Protect fruit from late frost
February can see some early blossom. Protect it from frost to ensure you have a brilliant fruit crop later in the year.
Soft fruit bushes
If frost is forecast, protect any early flowers and developing crops with horticultural fleece, carefully covering the whole plant. The fleece not only maintains temperature, but also protects against strong wind.
Small fruit trees
Similarly to fruit bushes, cover blossom and crops with fleece overnight, and remove during the day. However, this practice is impractical on larger trees, so only on manageable smaller trees.
Fruit grown on walls/fences
If you are growing fruit trees as espaliers, or cordons, or training them as fan trees, protect them using multiple layers of fleece, or use an alternative like hessian. Use canes to keep the material clear of the blossoms, and roll up your protective material during the day.
Strawberries
There are a few different measures you can take to protect your strawberries, including covering them in cloches or a double layer of fleece, depending on what you have available. Remove protection during the day, as this allows pollinators access to the flowers.
New Video from David
In this latest video, find out why hand forks are so essential to your tool collection.
Win a Yard Force Window Vac
For a chance to win a Yard Force Window Vac, head to my social media.
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Congratulations! Keep your eyes peeled for other competitions and winner announcements throughout February.
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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