The Gardener's Journal is a free monthly gardening guide delivered direct to your inbox.

Each month, receive tips on the top jobs needed in your garden as well as a wealth of information on a range of gardening topics. From sowing seeds to picking fruit, each month get access to information on the care and maintenance of your flowerbeds, vegetable plot and lawn. As with your own gardening diary, the journal is split into separate sections, each covering a different area of garden care.

Monday 3 February 2020

This Month in Your Garden - February

‘…you have such a February face, so full of frost, of storm and cloudiness?’ ~William Shakespeare


February is a month with much to do about everything. Unless there’s snow or sleet of course. So we take its mixed bag as it comes and get on with digging the soil if it’s not frozen, preparing for hardy annuals and vegetables. If you are driven indoors, use the time to organise your list of seeds what compost you’ll need.

The Lawncare Guide - February

“I said get the roller clean not lay a bowling green.’ 


Generally, it’s unlikely you’ll be cutting the grass in February or at least possibly not until the end of the month, but it pays to be prepared because the growing season is just around the corner. Did you have your garden tractor or mower serviced at the end of last year? It’s worth getting your machinery out, starting up and letting it run just to make sure everything’s tickety-boo.

Lawn Care: Questions & Answers

Q. I want to lay a new lawn in March. How do I know what quantity of seed I need?

The Vegetable Plot - February

More fruit of your labours


Mostly in the Gardener’s Journal we talk about the veg in your plot but what about fruit, don’t they get a mention? Well, you could be planting fruit trees and bushes now if there’s not too much frost forecast, finish pruning fruit and give them the benefit of a good feed and mulch.

The Big Glut Recipe - February

Celeriac, lentil and Stilton salad


A colourful February salad for four with a total time of around one hour and ten minutes. From Good Housekeeping.

Ingredients

  • 1 celeriac bulb, about 750g
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 125g (4oz) frozen peas
  • 75g (3oz) walnut halves
  • 2 tbsp runny honey
  • 2 x 400 g tins lentils, drained and rinsed
  • 100g (3 ½oz) Stilton, crumbled
  • 1/2 red onion, finely sliced
  • 50g (2oz) rocket