Jobs to do in February

The flower garden

Complete pruning roses before new growth.

Lift and divide perennials and replant immediately.

Sow sweet peas in a cold frame.

Prune deciduous shrubs for example fuchsias back to the base.

Remove pansy leaves affected by mildew.

Cut down woody stems of summer flowering clematis (group 3) to fattening buds low down on each stem.

Plant up dahlia tubers in warm soil but do not plant out yet.

Feed hellebores that are in flower.

The kitchen garden

Prepare beds for early vegetable sowing by covering with polythene to warm the soil.

Prune out a quarter of blackcurrant older growth removing the oldest stems of growth to prevent them from becoming crowded. These will be darker in colour then the newer branches.

Sprinkle sulphate potash fertiliser around fruit trees and bushes.

Check fruit that is in store for signs of rot.

The greenhouse

Sow tomato and chilli seeds under glass or in a propagator. 

Check heather fuel regularly.

The pond

Monitor for freezing.

General

Clear any debris that may be harbouring slugs and snails.

Clean out birds nesting boxes.

Clean algae and moss from paths.