Your own February checklist for a perfect garden!

This month you can finally feel the spring approaching, as it begins to get warmer and the mornings become lighter. It’s important to begin to get your garden ready, and in this small guide i’ll give you some great tips to get started!

Planting veggies to sow- it’s important to know to plant these away from any already established plants or trees as your veggies are going to need as much goodness as they can get! If you’re wanting to start straightway the best way to start is with a hardy veg as it is still relatively cold.

Making salads with edible plants in them- This is more of a fun idea but it’s a great way to make a boring salad more exciting at least in its appearance!

The earlier varieties of potatoes should be chitted; this means laid out in trays and allowed to form short sprouts; this should be in a cool, light, frost-free place ready for planting towards the end of March.

An important tip to remember is to begin to trim deciduous hedges before the birds start nesting, also important to keep feeding the birds with, fir example, fat balls as its still a cold month.

Buy a water butt! This is a great investment and it’ll get you prepared for the drier summer months ahead! And if you can buy yourself a soil testing kit to help you choose what soil is the best for your garden.

During these cold temperatures remember to stay away from the grass as it most likely will have a layer of frost, meaning that the blades are a lot more susceptible to damage! One thing you can do to look after your lawn is to make sure you have edged it ready for the spring!

If you are planting fruit and vegetables, make sure to net your crops so that the birds get tempted!

If you are planning to plant cabbages and cauliflowers you may need to invest in some garden lime (which is also available in our upcountry stores!), this is because these veggies prefer to grow in alkaline soil.