February is usually the month of high production in the vegetable garden and to keep vegetables cropping at their best continued attention needs be given to watering, side dressing with an all-purpose fertiliser and prevention or control of pests and diseases.
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Remove spent flowers from agapanthus and other free seeding plants before they set seed to prevent them becoming a problem.
Roses can be given a little additional water to start them into growth for the autumn display.
If necessary they can be lightly pruned and given a dressing of a complete fertiliser that is watered in.
Get planting
Sow or plant seedlings of cabbage, broccoli, beetroot, carrots, endive, kohlrabi, winter lettuce, onions, parsley, parsnip, radish and turnips.
Sow pre-moistened silver beet seeds direct into rich soil in an open sunny position.
Silver beet varieties come in coloured stems of white, red, pink and yellow.
Flower seedlings may include sweet peas, Iceland poppies, primulas, cinerarias, ranunculus, anemones, stocks and pansies.
Pumpkins, marrows, cucumbers and other members of the melon family need watching to see that the fruit is setting and, if the vines are growing too rapidly, nip off the tips of the runners when the fruit has formed.
Sunny showoffs
Cinerarias are one of the showiest members of the sunflower family and are perfect for those sheltered, partly shaded areas of the garden in need of a colour boost.
Large flowered and miniature strains are available, but all have beautifully zoned bi-colour blooms in bright shades of red, blue or purple.
The large flower heads are made up of small daisy-like flowers with each flower having an eye in the middle surrounded by a small white ring.
Loving Lavender
Lavenders do exceptionally well in our cool climate.
Cut back after flowering flushes to promote new growth and to keep the bushes in a nice shape.
Do not cut into old wood when pruning these plants, just lightly trim the leafy growth at the tips.
Cop that
Stone fruits can receive a spray comprising copper oxychloride to assist with the control of the next season of shot hole fungus, brown rot, peach leaf curl and other diseases which are not apparent until too late to take remedial measures.
Hedge Health
Do not prune a hedge on a hot day as the exposed, cut edges of the leaves can brown off.
If using a petrol-powered trimmer watch where the exhaust system is directed as the hot fumes can also burn the foliage.