What to Plant, Prune, and Prepare In Your Garden In February
February in the UK can be a mixed bag, frosty mornings, soggy soil, and the occasional hint that spring isn’t too far away. While much of the garden still lies dormant, there’s plenty that can be done this month. From sowing hardy vegetables under cover to planting bare-root trees and preparing beds for the season ahead, February is all about laying the groundwork. Choosing the right plants now sets the stage for a healthier, more productive garden in the months to come.
So, to help you get your garden ready for spring blooms, we asked top gardening experts to share their tips and advice on what to plant, prune and prepare this month.
What are the most important garden jobs to get done in February?
Mark Dwelly, Head Gardener at Audley Stanbridge Earls says “February is a reset month in the garden, use it to get ahead before spring growth really takes off. Focus on clearing dead growth, gently weeding and mulching borders, and improving soil with compost on any dry, workable days. It’s also the moment to finish pruning roses and many deciduous shrubs, check ties and supports after winter weather, and protect any tender plants with fleece or cloches ahead of late frosts. A little structure and tidying now means you can enjoy the colour later rather than panicking with jobs in March and April.”
Top trees and shrubs to plant in February
“Bare-root fruit trees like apple, pear, and plum are ideal right now. They’re dormant, so they handle transplanting well and tend to establish faster than container-grown options. February is your last window before they break dormancy in March”, advises Lawrence-Thor Stephen, Founder & CEO of Thor’s Trees.
“Native hedging species such as hawthorn, blackthorn, and field maple are brilliant choices this month. They support local wildlife, and bare-root whips are cost-effective for creating boundaries or windbreaks. Ornamental trees including silver birch, rowan, and amelanchier can go in now too.”
My top tip: Before planting, check your soil isn’t waterlogged or frozen. If you can dig a hole without it filling with water and the soil crumbles rather than clumps, you’re good to go. Prepare the planting hole twice as wide as the root ball and stake young trees to protect them from wind rock while they settle in.
Prune for strong growth
Alasdair Urquhart, one of Haskins’ in-house plant experts says “February provides the ideal window to tackle structural pruning before dormant plants emerge. Summer-flowering shrubs such as buddleja and sambucus respond well to a hard cut back now, which helps keep them compact and encourages stronger flowering later in the year. If space allows, reducing plants to around 18 inches will give them a clean, healthy restart.
“It is also a good time to prune roses and clematis that flowered in late summer or autumn, alongside wisteria. Cutting back to two or three buds keeps growth compact and under control so the plants don’t become unruly. Once winter-flowering shrubs finish blooming, prune them promptly to maintain shape and stimulate fresh shoots.
“Before spring growth appears, cut back deciduous ornamental grasses and take the opportunity to bring overgrown deciduous hedges back into line while plants remain dormant. Hardy evergreen hedges can also be trimmed where needed, keeping cuts neat and controlled before spring growth picks up. It’s important that you prune hedges before birds start nesting as it is against the Wildlife and Countryside act to do so between March 1st and August 31st, due to the negative impact it can have.”
Plants to plant or prepare in February
“February planting is about understanding cycles. Miriam Prada of Miriam Prada Interiors explains, the plants we choose now should evolve with us across spring, summer, autumn, and winter.”
Miriam also shares plants that work beautifully across all seasons in a British garden that you can plant or start to prepare in February:
• Evergreen structure: box (or alternatives like ilex), yew, sarcococca
• Reliable perennials: hellebores, geraniums (hardy), lavender
• Climbers with longevity: clematis (hardy varieties), honeysuckle
• Early veg with visual payoff: broad beans, onions, early peas
• Under-cover growers: spinach, salad leaves, herbs in greenhouses or cold frames
Sow new plants under cover
Chris Bonnett, founder of GardeningExpress.co.uk says “In February, anything you sow might need some extra protection to cope with cold temperatures and unpredictable weather. Using fleece, cloches, greenhouses or heated propagators can help keep conditions steady and support germination.
“Crops that can perform well when sown in February include peas, hardy herbs such as parsley and chives, and some root vegetables like carrots, onions and parsnips – but they are best started under cover or in trays until there is no risk of frozen ground or waterlogging. You can also start chitting early potatoes. Lay them out in trays or egg boxes until they show signs of sprouting. Think about planting out towards the end of the month when it begins to warm up.”
February is a great time to start prepping your garden
“February is a great time to start if you want to make life easier for yourself later on, says Liam Clearly, gardening expert from the Old Railway Line Garden Centre. The soil is still cool and damp, so plants can settle in without needing constant watering or protection. You might not see much happening at first, but that is the point. Roots are quietly getting established while everything above ground takes its time. If you get things planted now and keep an eye on frost, you will find plants are stronger, need less attention in spring and generally perform better across the season. It is a simple head start that really pays off.”
Top photo by Dean Lewis on Unsplash
