Gardening Calendar 1st Week in February ( audio available )

The Garden Advice Calendar highlights key gardening tasks and solutions based on our latest advice to members. For the first week of February, expand your gardening knowledge by joining a Gardnervice gardening course.

Click Here to listen to the GardenAdvice gardening calendar as and Google deep drive podcast or as an Amazon Alexa briefing skill by searching for GardenAdvice Weekly calendar in your alexa account.

Spring Bulbs

• If you didn’t plant any spring bulbs in autumn, B&Q Superstore has a good deal on pre-forced bulbs (hyacinths, tulips, etc.).
• These bulbs are about 50mm–50cm high and already show flower buds.
• Recommended choice: Iris reticulata – plant a few in a pot indoors for early flowering in 1–2 weeks indoors then they can be moved outside. 
• Spring bulb care:
  • Feed emerging bulbs with Growmore or liquid tomato food.
  • Feeding now ensures energy storage for next year’s flowers which are created inside the bulb duru-ing the current season. .

Sowing Sweet Peas

• Chip and soak sweet pea seeds before sowing in pots.
• Young seedlings can tolerate frost but are best started on a windowsill or first.
• Once 100mm high, move them outside.

Bare Root Planting

• Last couple of weeks for bare root planting, particularly hedging.
• Ideal time to complete any bare root hedge planting projects before spring growth begins.

Leylandii Hedge Problems

• Many gardeners report Leylandii hedges turning brown and dying back. This is to do with fungal disease caused by climate change
• Browned areas won’t recover; consider removing affected hedges.
• Alternative:
  • Gradual transition to yew hedging by planting new yew trees at the base of the leylandii hedges in between the existing leylandi plants.
  • Over the next few years, yew will replace the struggling Leylandii as you prune back the existing leylandii plants 

Plant Offers This Week see The GardenAdvice Plant Shop

• Wisteria – Available at approximately 3 metres high.
• Winter Cornus stems – Brightly coloured stems for winter garden interest.

Lawn Moss & Maintenance

• Moss is often caused by poor drainage and incorrect soil pH.
• Ideal lawn pH: Above 6.0 (below this, moss thrives).
• Solution:
  • Apply lime, granulated lime, or bio-lime to correct soil acidity.
  • Scarify and rake moss out to encourage healthy lawn regrowth.

Winter Fruit Tree Pruning – summer shoots

• Apples and other fruit trees should be pruned now while leaves are off.
• Key technique:
  • Remove last year’s long summer shoots that don’t have flower buds.
  • Cut back to 2–3 buds to encourage fruiting and better growth.

Lavender Hedge Renewal

• Now is a good time to replace old lavender hedges.
• Pro tip:
  • Shred old lavender plants and use them as a mulch around the new lavender
  • Lavender mulch has the ideal pH for growing new lavender successfully.

Dividing Snowdrops (Moving in the Green)

• Snowdrops can be lifted and divided when 50mm high the is called “in the green”
• Moving “in the green” (while actively growing) improves establishment and has a higher establishment rate than planting snow drop bulbs

Camellia & Rhododendron Feeding

• As camellias and rhododendrons start to flower, feed with liquid tomato food (high potash).
• Supports healthy blooms and overall plant strength.

GardenAdvice Plant Swap & Offers

• Plant Swap: Many plants available to exchange this week.

GardenAdvice Gardening Course Members: Receive 12 free plants without needing to swap.