February Gardening

Week 1: February Gardening

Flowers to sow in January – Cinerarias & Calendulas
Yates Starship cinerarias will produce an array of jewel-box coloured daisies in the frost-free winter/spring garden.

Vegies to sow in January – Spring onions
Every garden should have some spring onions in a pot or bed. They’re easy to grow (even for beginners), they take up very little space and they can be used at almost every stage.

Week 2: Perfumed plants for your Valentine

A couple of generations ago New Zealanders were virtually unaware of Valentine’s Day. This has all changed in the twenty-first century, however, with Valentine’s Day now firmly established on our national calendar. And, while it’s derided by a few, these days most of us happily embrace this annual celebration of love.

Bunches of fresh flowers often accompany the traditional Valentine’s card but, better still, why not present your loved one with a fragrant plant. That way they’ll have a long-lasting memento of your devotion.

Week 3: Prepare now for spring colour

It’s hard to believe, but this is the time to start thinking about the spring garden. Spring might seem far off in the future but it will sneak up and arrive before you know it. By taking a few simple steps now, you can have a garden full of spring colour while your less-prepared neighbours will have to resort to spending big dollars on pots of already-in-flower plants.

Week 4: Grow your own salad mixes

Late summer’s a surprisingly good time to sow some favourite salad plants for the vegetable garden.

Growing lettuce from seed’s a practical practice because you can make new plantings every few weeks and stagger the crop over a long period. Lettuce sown now will be developing when it’s cooler (lettuce prefer cooler conditions) and you can select almost any variety.