Gardening Calendar for Sonia and Ben – February 2026
This month’s focus: Preparation, soil feeding, pruning, lawn readiness, and setting the garden up for strong growth and colour later in the year.
For more information about Sonia and Ben’s garden project, visit their MyGardenTeam page.
Planning and Ordering
- Order sweet pea seeds and dahlia tubers (available from B&Q) for strong seasonal colour later in the year
- Learn more about starting dahlia tubers in February
Soil Feeding
- Feed the entire garden with Growmore fertiliser at approximately one handful per square metre
- Apply evenly across all beds and borders
Borders and Ground Preparation
Side Borders
- Apply ground sheeting to suppress weeds and prepare for later planting
- See the side border renovation plan
Hyacinth Borders
- Dig out and thin overcrowded hyacinths
- After thinning, either apply ground sheeting OR lay cardboard and mulch over the top
New Border Areas
- Lay cardboard directly onto the soil
- Apply a layer of mulch over the cardboard
Front Garden Work
- Dig out as many bluebells as possible in the front garden and the area where the lawn will be removed
- Cover cleared areas with ground sheeting
- Organise wood chip delivery for mulching
Shrub Pruning and Feeding
- Prune quinces hard, cutting stems back to approximately 6–8 inches to encourage strong new growth from the base (retrain new stems as they develop)
- Lightly shape other shrubs as needed to maintain form and encourage bushier growth
- Feed hebe plants with high nitrogen feed (such as Miracle-Gro) to encourage fresh green growth
- Read more about pruning and border reset planning
Lawn Preparation
- Apply additional lime to the lawn if required
- Prepare for clover sowing in the coming weeks
- More information on creating a new clover lawn
Fruit Tree Care
- Prune apple and other dormant fruit trees (if not professionally scheduled)
- Apply winter wash after pruning
- Install pheromone traps
- During flowering, if there’s a dry spell, water thoroughly as blossom drops to improve fruit set
- General guidance on apple tree care and pruning
- Comprehensive fruit tree care information
Propagation and Early Growth
- Sow sweet peas in deep pots
- Pot up dahlia tubers to bring them into early growth
- Monitor pelargoniums and other emerging perennials
Maintenance
- Spot treat emerging weeds using a hand sprayer with stronger glyphosate-based weedkiller where necessary
- Spot treat ivy on the fence; once dead, cut back and remove
- Learn about spot treatment with weedkiller
- Check containers for vine weevil and take preventative measures if required
- Continue planning screening for the left-hand side (viewed from the house)
- Refer to the pruning schedule already recorded online
View all of Sonia and Ben’s gardening notes at: https://gardenadvice.co.uk/soniaandben/