Gardening Calendar for February 2026
Fruiting buds on an apple tree – note the short stubby buds with rings around these are fruiting buds
February marks a turning point in the gardening year. As days gradually lengthen and the garden begins to stir from its winter slumber, this is the month to roll up your sleeves and prepare for the productive season ahead. While it may still feel chilly outside, there’s plenty to keep you busy both under cover and in the garden.
This is prime time for early sowings of tomatoes, peppers, and other heat-loving crops indoors, while hardy vegetables like broad beans and early peas can get their start in protected conditions. February is also your last chance to complete essential winter tasks such as fruit tree pruning and applying winter washes before the buds break and spring growth begins.
Whether you’re chitting potatoes, cleaning your greenhouse to maximise precious light, or preparing vegetable beds for the months ahead, February gardening is all about laying solid foundations. The work you put in now will pay dividends throughout the growing season, setting you up for a bountiful and beautiful garden come summer.
Sowing Tomatoes and Heat-Loving Crops: Start seeds for tomatoes, peppers (Sweet Pepper mix, Lunchbox peppers), chilies (Tri-colour chillies, Jalapeño), and aubergines. Use Coco Coir compost in modules or seed trays with heat (18-21°C for aubergines).
Sowing Herbs: Start early sowings of Basil seeds indoors for greenhouse growing.
Sowing Vegetables Under Cover: Sow broad beans in deep pots or modules for planting out in March. Sow early peas in guttering or deep trays indoors. Start leeks from seed in seed trays using Coco Coir compost.
Sowing Early Salad Crops: Sow early varieties of lettuce indoors in modules. Direct sow spinach under cloches or in a cold frame if the weather permits. Sow radish successionally in the greenhouse for a quick crop. Chitting Potatoes: Chit seed potatoes indoors in egg boxes or trays in a light, frost-free place. First earlies should have good shoots by late February.
Ornamental Seed Sowing: Sow Aquilegia and Echinacea seeds directly into borders. Sow sweet peas now in deep pots (root trainers ideal) and place them in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse.
Greenhouse Cleaning: Clean the glass in the greenhouse to maximize light for spring growing. Check and repair any damaged panes.
- How To Clean Your Glasshouse
- When Is The Best Time To Clean Out Your Greenhouse?
- Cleaning A Greenhouse For Spring
Pruning Fruit Trees: Complete pruning of apple, cherry, pear, and plum trees before buds break. Remove any dead, diseased, or crossing branches and shape the canopy for good air circulation.
- Gardening Calendar 2nd Week in February
- Apple Tree Care and General Pruning Rules
- Care of Fruit Trees
- Join The GardenAdvice Winter Fruit Tree Pruning Service
- A Gardener’s Guide to Caring for Fan-Trained Cherry Trees
Applying Winter Wash: Apply winter tar wash (Vitax Winter Tree Wash) to apple trees on a dry, mild day to reduce pest eggs and lingering mildew spores.
Sowing Tomatoes and Heat-Loving Crops: Start seeds for tomatoes, peppers (Sweet Pepper mix, Lunchbox peppers), chilies (Tri-colour chillies, Jalapeño), and aubergines. Use Coco Coir compost in modules or seed trays with heat (18-21°C for aubergines).
Sowing Herbs: Start early sowings of Basil seeds indoors for greenhouse growing.
Sowing Vegetables Under Cover: Sow broad beans in deep pots or modules for planting out in March. Sow early peas in guttering or deep trays indoors. Start leeks from seed in seed trays using Coco Coir compost.
Sowing Early Salad Crops: Sow early varieties of lettuce indoors in modules. Direct sow spinach under cloches or in a cold frame if the weather permits. Sow radish successionally in the greenhouse for a quick crop. Chitting Potatoes: Chit seed potatoes indoors in egg boxes or trays in a light, frost-free place. First earlies should have good shoots by late February.
Ornamental Seed Sowing: Sow Aquilegia and Echinacea seeds directly into borders. Sow sweet peas now in deep pots (root trainers ideal) and place them in a cold frame or unheated greenhouse.
Greenhouse Cleaning: Clean the glass in the greenhouse to maximize light for spring growing. Check and repair any damaged panes.
- How To Clean Your Glasshouse
- When Is The Best Time To Clean Out Your Greenhouse?
- Cleaning A Greenhouse For Spring
Pruning Fruit Trees: Complete pruning of apple, cherry, pear, and plum trees before buds break. Remove any dead, diseased, or crossing branches and shape the canopy for good air circulation.
- Gardening Calendar 2nd Week in February
- Apple Tree Care and General Pruning Rules
- Care of Fruit Trees
- Join The GardenAdvice Winter Fruit Tree Pruning Service
- A Gardener’s Guide to Caring for Fan-Trained Cherry Trees
Applying Winter Wash: Apply winter tar wash (Vitax Winter Tree Wash) to apple trees on a dry, mild day to reduce pest eggs and lingering mildew spores.
Climbing Hydrangea Pruning: Prune the climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris) now before it starts growing, pinning back any loose stems to the wall. This is also a good time to take semi-hardwood stem cuttings. Philadelphus Pruning: If the Philadelphus needs thinning, remove old wood during late winter. Lavender Care: Tidy lavender plants, but do not prune hard yet; wait until after the last frost. Check on rosemary, sage, and oregano, and trim any frost-damaged shoots.