"February is the border between winter and spring"
February in the Garden: What to Sow, Plant & Prepare
February feels like a month caught between two seasons. One day it’s icy cold with gale-force winds and driving rain, the next there’s a hint of sunshine and the first shy signs of life begin to appear. Stormy as it can be, February is a bridge between winter and spring. This is the month of snowdrops, soon joined by primulas and aconites, reminding us that the garden is stirring again.
Thinking Ahead to Summer Crops
After filling my little propagator with chillies and peppers last month, my attention is now turning to tomatoes. It’s still a little early for me to sow them, as mine will be grown outside rather than in a greenhouse, but it’s the perfect time to plan.
As always, I’m debating whether to stick with my tried and tested favourites or experiment with something new. There are several newer determinate (bush) tomato varieties that are ideal for growing in pots, so that’s definitely something I’ll be investigating over the next few weeks.
Seeds to Sow Under Cover
Traditionally, onion seeds are sown on Boxing Day indoors for early germination. I didn’t do that but I will be planting out a few onion sets later in the season. Spring onions, another member of the allium family, can be sown direct a little later on too.
February is a great time to sow the following under cover:
I’m sowing my favourite dwarf green curled kale, along with a heritage tall green curled variety. Some of these I will be pot on into containers rather than plant straight into the ground. Growing in pots means I can protect them more easily and enjoy earlier pickings.
Broad Beans, Peas & Soil Conditions
Depending on your soil type, you may be able to sow broad beans directly outside now. My heavy clay soil is still far too wet and cold, so I’m sowing mine in pots instead and will plant them out later once conditions improve.
Peas grown for shoots are another excellent crop to start this month. They’re surprisingly tolerant of cold weather and do very well when started in pots.
Time to Chit Seed Potatoes
February is also the month to buy your seed potatoes and set them out to chit. I grow mine in tubs so choose first and second earlies for their compact size and faster maturity.
First Earlies (ready soonest) see here
- Rocket
- Swift
- Casablanca
- Maris Bard
Second Earlies (versatile) see here
- Charlotte
- Jazzy
- Red Duke of York
What does chitting potatoes mean?
Simply put, it’s the process of exposing seed potatoes to light so their “eyes” begin to sprout. Place them in a cool, light room and in around 4–6 weeks they’ll be ready for planting out.
Chitting gives potatoes a valuable head start, often leading to earlier harvests and potentially bigger yields.
Sow Flowers & Sweet Peas in February
I’ll be re-sowing my sweet peas this month, as the ones planted last autumn didn’t survive the stormy winter weather. If you have space indoors or under cover, now is also a good time to sow flowers for summer displays. Geraniums (pelargoniums), petunias, impatiens, bacopa and nicotiana can be sown this month if you are contemplating planting up a hanging basket.
Herbs to Sow in February
If you’re keen to get a head start on herbs, these can be sown indoors for growing on a sunny windowsill or under cover this month:
- Basil (needs warmth and light)
- Chives
- Parsley
- Coriander
- Dill
They’ll be ready to move on as the days lengthen and temperatures slowly rise.
February may be unpredictable, but it’s a wonderfully optimistic time in the garden. A little planning and targeted sowing now will pay off beautifully in the months ahead.
February is the border between winter and spring ~Terri Guillemets “Outlines of joy” 2002