We’ve got a while yet until the warm sunny days of spring, but as all gardeners know there is plenty to be getting on with in February if you like to grow your own produce! In this blog, we take a look at which vegetables you can grow in your February garden.
What can you do this month?
Although February is still too cold to sow many seeds directly into the soil outside, there are still plenty of seeds you can start to grow inside. If you have a propagator or greenhouse, this is ideal. But if not, then a warm and bright window sill works just as well!
Once the weather starts to warm up and your seeds have grown into young plants they can then be planted outside into your garden or vegetable plot.
It’s a great time to plant vegetable seeds such as peppers and onions as well as beautiful flowers such as Salvias and Cosmos.
Our favourite vegetables to grow in February
From mid-February onwards, you can start to sow these seeds indoors. Starting off indoors next month is the perfect way to maximise the growing life.
Cucumbers
You can sow cucumber seeds from mid-February in a heated greenhouse or cold frame. The seeds must be kept above 12-15C. You can transfer young plants to 25cm pots with good quality compost in late March or late May (if in an unheated greenhouse).
Chillies
Sow seeds indoors from late winter to mid-spring. They need a long time to flower and fruit, so an early start will give you earlier and longer harvests. Chillies originate from South America so they like it hot! Their optimum germination temperature is between 27C – 32C, although some can grow if temperatures are above 21C but germination is more erratic. Use a loam-based seed & potting-on compost as chillies like good drainage.
Tomatoes
If you want to grow tomatoes in an unheated greenhouse, you could sow indoors at the end of February. You will need a light position, and enough room indoors to germinate the seedlings in the warm. They could then be put out in the greenhouse in early May.
It’s best to grow tomatoes indoors and not directly in the soil, as slugs and snails love to eat the leaves within hours of germination! Night temperatures within the early months will also be too low for suitable growth.
Broad beans
Home-grown broad beans are delicious and wonderfully tender, and one of the first crops of the year. They’re easy to grow from seed and they don’t take up too much space. They can be grown in the ground, in raised beds and in large pots. You can also buy young plants in early spring.
Sowing broad beans are super easy. Simply fill small pots with peat-free multipurpose compost and place one seed in each, 5cm deep. Place in a cool, frost-free place such as a cold frame or greenhouse, and they should germinate within 3 weeks. You can plant out after six weeks, when the roots have filled their pot.
Flowers to plant in February
Cosmos are easy flowers to grow and they look great in borders or meadows. The seeds need light to germinate, so sow on top of peat-free seed compost in a tray or a plant pot placed indoors in a sunny spot.
Sweet peas are a staple of the summer garden and they’re really easy to grow! Sow seeds individually into biodegradable pots or cardboard tubes, as they can be planted out in their containers to avoid root disturbance. Keep them in an unheated greenhouse or cold frame and harden off before planting out.
Salvias are great for providing structure and height in the garden, and many varieties can be grown from seed. Sow the seeds in February, scattering them on top of peat-free seed compost, and then cover the seeds with a fine layer of compost or vermiculite. Keep the pots in a light, warm spot indoors, ensuring the compost stays moist.
Garden maintenance services
If your garden isn’t quite ready to play host to some delicious produce, then get in touch with our team. We offer everything from a one-off garden clearance to regular garden maintenance. Whether it’s weed clearance, lawn care or advice on what flowers to plant, our friendly team would be more than happy to help! Get in touch with us by calling 07393 821797, or getting in touch here.
