The weather in February reveals a lot about how long winter is likely to last; if the wind direction is from the north or east – colder conditions may well go on until April.
If the weather is mild, windy with rain this pattern is likely to continue and prolonged cold conditions do not usually set in.
The intense freezing temperatures and water-logged soil made work in the garden impossible during January. February weather looks to be milder in part, with a possibility of another cold snap; take advantage of any dry days to prune shrubs and trees; only do planting when the ground has dried out; continue planning the veg garden.
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Chilli peppers can be started indoors during February; fill small pots with compost, sow three seeds per pot – lightly cover (with compost) and mist with water. Leave on a sunny window sill. They can take two weeks to germinate, once the seedlings are an inch high move the spares to their own pots. Keep the plantlets in warm and light conditions as they grow. (Plants should be ready to go outside in May into hanging baskets/window boxes when there is no likelihood of frost).
There are Chilli peppers for all tastes, a dazzling array of varieties – sweet and mildly hot, hot, hotter and off the scale. There are heat scores for each type (Scoville Heat Units). A mention of just three varieties: Aji Limon (Peru) a hot, heavy cropping, easy-to-grow pepper; the fresh fruit is citrus flavoured.
The growing habit makes this a good choice for a hanging basket.
Cherry Bomb – medium hot, also very easy to grow with eye-catching bright red fleshy fruits. The Biquinho Red Chilli is medium hot (Portuguese) and produces teardrop shaped fruits.
Even in the bleaker winter months, a well planned garden has some seasonal interest to offer; currently there are catkins on Hazel and Alder; evergreen and conifer foliage is more vibrant against the general bareness of the garden.
Daphne mezereum, sometimes called February Daphne, a woodland shrub is about to flower; it has pink or purple blooms with a delicious perfume. Compact, and slow growing, generally Daphne likes a soil rich in leaf mould, with lots of well-rotted compost added each year.
There are few bulbs to see yet, growth has been stunted by the cold and damp, but Snowdrops and crocus should be out soon – foliage has begun to pop up.
Camellias are likely to be the next shrub in bloom although they can flower as late as April. The Witch Hazels exploded in a blizzard of tiny spidery perfumed flowers as January came to a close.
