Showing posts with label February. Show all posts
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

11:59 PM


G
et ready for seed-sowing. Make sure you have good-quality soil-based or soilless seed compost. Before you buy, check bags are fresh, avoiding leftovers from last year. Clean pots, trays and modules before sowing.
If you didn’t plant garlic in autumn, you can still plant suitable cultivars such as 'Solent Wight’ at the end of the month.
 Prune back stems of autumn raspberries close to ground level. For a smaller but earlier crop, cut about one third of the stems in half. Select the strongest shoots and prune just below the point where they fruited. Remove those stems after harvest.
Check apricots, peaches (pictured) and nectarines under cover as they may start flowering. Hand pollinate using a soft brush.
Cold and humidity can encourage fuzzy grey mould (Botrytis cinerea) on leaves, stems or flower buds of plants overwintering under glass. Remove any dead or dying foliage. Water and improve ventilation to reduce humidity.
Prune shoots of overwintering fuchsias to one or two buds.
If you can maintain the temperature at about 10C (50F), pot up dahlia tubers and start bringing them into growth.
In milder areas, start pruning hybrid tea and floribunda roses; in colder areas the pruning is best delayed until March.
Finish off cutting back perennial and deciduous ornamental grasses, getting the beds ready for mulching.
Remove some of the older leaves and damaged or diseased foliage of hellebores when the flower buds start to emerge.
Prune shrubs grown for winter stem colour, such as Cornus alba, Cornus sanguinea and Salix alba. Prune back all stems to two buds (two pairs of buds for Cornus) of the previous season’s growth.
Renovate deciduous hedges such as beech and hornbeam. If healthy, they will tolerate reduction by up to about 50 per cent in height and width, but such drastic pruning is best spread over two seasons.
WARM THE SOIL FOR EARLY SOWING
To start sowing outdoors early, consider pre-warming a patch of soil. When the ground is not too wet, first cultivate the soil, incorporating organic matter and fertiliser if needed. Cover the soil with clear plastic film or cloches. It is also possible to use black polythene, but ensure a good contact with the soil. Fleece is less effective. To keep the sheet in place, tuck it into the soil, or weigh the edges down with bricks.
Leave in place for six weeks until you are ready to sow. After sowing, cover the soil with cloches or fleece to protect the germinating seeds and young plants from the worst weather.
Clay soils are slower to warm up as they hold a large amount of water. Unless water is lost to evaporation, pre-warming will not be very effective. It is preferable to use cloches on clay.
Crops to try
Early carrots ('Adelaide’, 'Yukon’)
Bolt-resistant beetroot ('Boltardy’)
Broad bean ('Masterpiece Green Longpod ’ 'Witkiem Manita’)
Kohl rabi ('Kolibri’)
Lettuce ('Little Gem’, 'Merveille de Quatre Saisons’)
Parsnip ('Gladiator’, ’Archer’)
Peas ('Feltham First’, 'Douce Provence’)
Radish ('Sparkler’)
Salad onions ('White Lisbon’, 'Purpette’)
Shallot ('Long Red Florence’)
Turnips ('Atlantic’, 'Milan Purple Top’)
PLANT OF THE MONTH
Narcissus 'February Gold'
This is a vigorous daffodil for early spring colour. The single flowers are golden yellow and 7.5cm (3in) wide, and the perianth segments (outer petals) are slightly reflexed (curved back). The flowers reach about 30cm (12in) tall.
Bulbs are best planted in the autumn in moist but well-drained soil and in full sun or light shade. Wear gloves when handling daffodil bulbs as the sap can cause skin irritation. Make sure that the soil is moist when in full growth and let the foliage die down naturally.
If necessary, lift, divide and replant once the foliage starts to die down after flowering. 
Source of Article:  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

Read more »
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

11:41 PM

Continue to dig over existing beds and borders, again incorporating as much organic matter as you can. Forking over not only helps prepare the soil for spring, it helps reduce pests by exposing them to hungry birds.

Although temperatures should start to rise this month, there is still a risk of frost and even snow. Protect vulnerable plants, pots and taps from frost by wrapping insulation such as garden fleece around them and check pots and containers are raised off the ground if possible. Tender trees and shrubs will thank you for a generous application of dry mulch to protect their roots from freezing conditions.

Once the ground isn’t frozen, make new beds and borders - mark the shape with sand trickled from a bottle, remove the top layer of growing vegetation and dig the ground over, incorporating as much organic matter as possible. If you are making a bed in the lawn, remove the turf and stack it upside down somewhere out of the way - after a year or two it will rot down into fantastic compost. Alternatively chop it up and bury upside down in the planting hole a good spade’s depth down. Beware - if you just dig it in the buried grass will regrow and regrow and regrow and...

Remember not to let leaves accumulate around alpines - they will die if left damp for long. Cover bare patches around clumps with gritty compost to encourage regrowth. When the weather allows, carry on clearing paths, check walls (but avoid concreting until there is no chance of frost), clean and insulate greenhouses and ensure heaters are working properly. Even a little insulation will make a huge difference to your heating bill.
Clean and repair your garden tools, book the lawn mower in for a service and check garden furniture for any rot. When it is warm enough, treat sheds, fences and trellis with wood preservative; brushes and rollers are fine for most things, however a sprayer is well worth buying for tricky projects such as woven panels!





Source of Article: http://www.thegardencentregroup.co.uk/
Read more »
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

11:23 PM
feb Flowers
February is the month of Valentine’s Day and bouquets of red roses are a common sight this time of year. But did you know that there are many other species of flower available in February as well?
Wild primroses, crocus and Aubretia can all be found across the UK in February if you know where to look. Despite the chilly weather there are many flowers and plants that will start to emerge this month.
See below for a list of flowers which you can find in February:
Acacia (Mimosa) – Tiny petal-less yellow flowers cover the stems
Aconitum (Monkshood) – Tall spiky flowers, long lasting but poisonous
Alstroemeria (Peruvian Lily) – Very popular and long lasting flowers, often bi-coloured
Amaryllis (Hippeastrum) – Large very striking trumpet shaped flowers, often grown indoors from bulbs
Ammi (Queen Anne’s lace) – Masses of delicate white flowers, ideal as a filler
Anemone (Windflower) – Delicate, papery flowers, available in vibrant and pale colours
Anigozanthus (Kangaroo Paw) – Unusual furry buds with insignificant flowers. Ideal for modern arrangements
Anthurium (Painter’s Palette) – Exotic waxy looking flowers
Aranthera (Scorpion Orchid) – Long lasting orchid with small flowers on upright stems
Asclepias (Milkweed) – Clusters of tiny flowers, ideal as a filler
Aster (Michaelmas daisy) – Popular filler with daisy like flowers on upright stems
Astrantia – Starry mauve or white flowers, slightly unpleasant smell
Arachnis (Spider Orchid) – Long stems with slender petals and spotted flowers
Banksia (Bottlebrush) – Exotic Protea from Australia, large flower heads made up of masses of tiny flowers
Bouvardia – Clusters of small tubular flowers, use with special flower food. Not all colours are available throughout the year
Bupleurum – Insignificant yellow green flowers. Used more as a foliage and as a filler
Marigold (Calendula) – Popular daisy-like flower with a country garden feel
Calla Lily (Zantedeschia, Arum Lily) – Striking single flowers. The coloured varieties are smaller than the white ones, and not all colours are available all year round
Campanula (Canterbury Bells) – Quite large bell shaped flowers, several to a stem
Carnation – Very long lasting. Some new more interesting colours are now available
Carthamus (Safflower) – Unusual slightly thistle like flowers, dries well
Spray Carnation – Long lasting flowers. Some more interesting colours becoming available
Cattleya orchid – Large brightly coloured orchids, usually 1 or 2 per stem
Cestrum – Dense clusters of flowers at the top of straight stems
Ginger (Alpinia) – Large striking tropical flowers
Waxflower (Chamaelaucium) – Small scented flowers ideal as fillers, sold in bud and in flower
Chrysanthemum – Available as large individual showy blooms, or the spray variety. Very long lasting
Craspedia – Small completely round flower head made up of lots of tiny yellow flowers
Crocosmia – Tall spiky flowers generally known as Montbretia when grown as a garden flower.
Cymbidium Orchid – Striking flowers, which flower profusely with up to 12 flowers on each stem
Cynara (Artichoke) – The flower of the artichoke
Delphinium -Tall flower spikes. Also, Larkspur which is a type of delphinium
Dendrobium orchid (Singapore orchid) – Long lasting orchids with several blooms on each erect stem
Echinacea – Daisy like flowers with backward sloping petals
Eremurus (Foxtail Lily) – Large dramatic flowers, usually yellow or orange, with other colours less commonly available
Eryngium (Sea Holly) – Blue thistle like flowers, sometimes the blue is so intense it is hard to believe they are not dyed
Eucharis (Amazon Lily) – Beautiful slightly downward facing delicate flower heads on tall straight stems
Euphorbia (Spurge) – Graceful curving stems with loads of tiny flowers. Note not all colours are available at the same time, check with your florist
Eupatorium – pretty white small flowers, used as a filler
Forsythia – The shrub commonly grown in our gardens for their springtime flowers
Freesia – Highly popular, highly scented flowers
Fritillaria – Exotic looking flowers which hang downwards in a cluster on top of tall straight stems
Genista – Masses of tiny flowers all along the straight leafless stems. Popular filler flower
Gentiana – Long lasting trumpet shaped flowers up straight stems
Gerbera – Large daisy like flowers, a smaller ‘germini’ variety is also available
Gloriosa (Glory Lily) – A very dramatic flower with yellow edged cerise petals. The National Flower of Zimbabwe
Godetia – Several brightly coloured trumpet shaped flowers open up each stem
Gypsophila – Very popular filler flower. New smaller-flowered varieties are now available
Heliconia – Tropical flower with large very dramatic flower heads. Several different types available
Helleborus (Christmas Rose) – Short lived very delicate and subtle flowers
Hyacinth – Popular as a pot plant hyacinth and increasingly popular as a cut flower
Hypericum (St John’s Wort) – Attractive berries rather than flowers make this a very popular filler
Iris – Very popular but short lived flowers
Leucadendron (Safari Sunset) – It is the leaves rather than the flowers which make this popular
Leucospermum (Pincushion Protea) – Large flower heads which resemble a pin cushion. Long lasting
Lily – Available throughout the year, but if you are looking for a particular colour check availability with your florist
Liatris – Tall poker shaped purple flowers
Lilac – A common shrub and highly popular, strongly scented cut flower
Lily of the Valley (Convallaria) – Tiny bell shaped flowers on short stems. Very popular in wedding flowers
Limonium (Sea Lavender) – Popular as a dried flower, all varieties make good fillers, but it can have an unpleasant smell!
Lisianthus (Eustoma) – Popular flowers which open from tightly swirled buds, bi-coloured varieties also available
Lysimachia (Loose Strife) – Arching flower heads on the end of the stems, each made up of a mass of tiny flowers
Moluccella (Bells of Ireland) – Tall stems with a mass of bell shaped flowers
Muscari (Grape hyacinth) – Very small with short stems and clusters of tiny blue flowers
Narcissus (Daffodil) – Needs no description and evokes spring more than any other cut flower
Oncidium orchid (Golden Shower Orchid) – Lots of small yellow flowers along the stem. Miniature hybrids are available in colours other than yellow
Ornithogalum (Chincherinchee) – Fantastically long lasting flower, usually white and less commonly available in yellow
Paphiopedilum orchid (Slipper orchid) – Very large dramatic orchid flowers
Phalaenopsis orchid (Moth Orchid) – Large showy flowers, popular as a pot plant as well as a cut flower especially for weddings
Phlox – English country garden flower. Very popular
Protea – Large exotic flowers with many different varieties
Prunus (Flowering cherry) – Cherry blossom, beautiful delicate flowers on tall straight branches
Ranunculus – Small delicate, papery flowers.
Rose – Needs no description! Almost every colour available except true black or blue
Rudbeckia – Daisy like flower, usually sold without any petals, just the pincushion like centre
Solidago – A popular yellow filler flower
Solidaster – A cross between Solidago and the Aster. Used as a filler
Stephanotis (Wax flower) – Not generally available as a cut flower, but the individual small, waxy, white flowers are often used in bridal work
Strelitzia (Bird of Paradise) – Unmistakable large and exotic flowers with blue and orange flowers
Sunflower (Helianthus) – Striking, large daisy like flowers, usually yellow but more unusual rusty colours are becoming available
Tanecetum – A type of chrysanthemum with small button shaped flowers
Trachelium – Masses of tiny flowers create a large flat flower head
Tuberose (Polianthes) – Highly scented flowers on tall stems
Tulip – One of the most popular cut flowers in the UK with many different varieties
Veronica (Speedwell) – Delicate flower spikes add contrast to arrangements
Viburnum (Snowballs) – Short lived but increasingly popular. Each flower head is made up of a mass of tiny flowers
Vanda – Usually 6 – 8 blooms per flower stem, the petals often have a marbled appearance
Vuylstekeara – A hybrid orchid, with highly patterned petals
Source of Article: http://www.flowers.org.uk

A. M. Awan (Author)
About Admin Author:

A M Awan Currently working as Marketing Executive at Oasis Agro Industries Pakistan, and hobbies to read about agriculture, share latest information with others
Read more »
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
farming.com.pk. Powered by Blogger.