February in the garden
Hi ,
February might be the shortest month of the year, but there are plenty of tasks to stay busy with ahead of the growing season. Start preparing your raised beds, sowing early seeds under cover, and make sure your planting plan is finalised ahead of next month. To help get you started, download my free vegetable planting calendar from my website.
My new book is coming out next month; I can’t believe it’s already this close. I’m so excited for you to be able to read it and learn all of the fascinating plant facts I’ve found whilst researching.
I’m so proud of the finished product, and can’t wait for you to read and enjoy it too. Plants with Superpowers is available to pre-order now.
My website will also have a host of new blogs each week, for more guidance and inspiration. So, remember to check regularly to see what is new. Plus, if you are a social media user, I’m producing a series of regular short tip videos on Instagram, so please check those out too.
My columns in the Daily Mirror and Daily Express are available every Saturday and packed with handy advice that makes gardening even more of a joy. You can read the most recent edition here.
I have a few public appearances coming up this year, and I’d love the opportunity to meet some of you. Follow the links below to find out more:
This is going to be a great year for gardeners, and I can’t wait to get growing with you.
Happy gardening!
David
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Gardening tip of the month
Give your Wisteria its winter prune
Wisteria should be pruned twice a year. Now is the perfect time for its winter prune.
Why prune wisteria twice a year?
The main purpose of pruning wisteria twice a year is to get the best out of the flowers. Pruning in summer controls the current year’s growth, whilst winter makes it clearer to see what else needs removing.
This encourages plentiful, large blooms, and serves to contain the growth to your preferred size and shape.
Winter pruning a young wisteria
A young wisteria requires a less aggressive prune, particularly as it has had less time to grow. Therefore, aim to provide a strong framework.
Cut the leader vine down to 60-90cm above the highest lateral branch. All branches can be cut by a third, and prune shoots from lateral branches to encourage flower growth.
Winter pruning a mature wisteria
Larger wisterias are likely to benefit from a slightly harsher prune in the winter, especially if overgrown.
The summer pruning will have resulted in stems being cut back to 30cm from the point of growth. In winter, you can see more clearly to cut these down to 5cm from old wood. This will reduce the amount of foliage growth, which would cover the wonderful flowers if left unchecked.
Training a wisteria
Once you have finished pruning, make sure you tie in any remaining new growth to the supports. This will help it grow in your preferred direction, and make it easier to control.
Your wisteria should flower from May through June and can be given its summer prune in about August. All your work should result in wonderful purple flowers.
How to build a small greenhouse
I’ve installed a fantastic Keder Greenhouse into my garden to extend my growing season. Watch me build one in my garden in my new video.
How to grow and care for Camellia
Find out how to grow these lovely flowering plants successfully in your garden:
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Congratulations to the winners!
Keep your eyes peeled for more blogs, videos, competitions and winner announcements throughout February.
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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