Tips for February 2023

Cut all canes of autumn-fruiting raspberries down to the ground. New canes will start growing in the spring.

Sow peppers and chillies. Start them off early, because they need a long growing season in which to grow and ripen fruit. Sow in a heated propagator or in trays on a sunny windowsill.

Lift and divide clumps of Snowdrops and winter Aconites once they finish flowering.

Tidy strawberry plants by removing old, dead or diseased leaves and any remaining runners.

Complete renovation and pruning of deciduous hedges by the of the month, before the nesting season starts.

Sow tomatoes and cucumbers for cultivation under glass in a bright warm place or heated propagator for crops to grow outside in March.

Once the flowers have faded, cut back the stems of Hippeasstrum (Amaryllis) to the base but keep watering and feeding the plant so that the leaves die down naturally.

Prune established Wisteria and Campsis side shoots to two or three buds. You can also prune older woody growth to reduce the size or weight of the plant.

Prune late-flowering clematis cultivars belonging to group three to just above a low pair of healthy buds 10-30cm above soil level.

To avoid disturbing creatures that may be sheltering in compost heaps, delay turning compost till mid-spring.