Gardening tips for February 2026

For those of us who can, jetting off to some far-flung corner of the world where the hot sun warms the pristine sands of the gentle, sea-washed beach sounds a far more attractive option that toiling in the cold, wet and miserable February garden. However, if you have a garden, gardening is something that can’t be put on hold indefinitely, so what needs to be done? Note to diary, get next year’s winter break booked before it’s too late!

In 2023, I started giving a summary of rainfall over the previous year and attempting to make comparisons with other years, their averages and any possible trends. With just a few years data and a single rain gauge positioned in a Rudgwick garden perhaps my summary is more anecdotal than a full-on and exacting scientific contribution to meteorology. Anyway, here goes.

We had a dry 2025, drier that 2024 and that was drier than 2023, I hope this isn’t a trend set to continue. Dry years are not a new phenomenon, 2015 was one of the driest I have recorded but it did have a very wet August which saved gardens and crops from being scorched. Now, I’m all for a nice hot, shimmering, sun-soaked summer but an even rain pattern across the year is more productive for the garden and more importantly the nation’s farmers.  Did anyone notice how small their Brussels Sprouts were at Christmas?  Distribution of rain was similar to 2024, we just had less of it, 80% of 2024’s rainfall. January 2025 was very wet, February to June very dry and a recovery to roughly average rainfall from July to December. Perhaps this just reinforces my suggesting from last year, invest in more water storage to help with watering during the dryer summer months.

Now we have decided to venture into the garden, what are the priorities?

Prune winter flowering shrubs after they have finished flowering, e.g. late-summer flowering clematis, wisteria (to 3 buds) and don’t forget deciduous ornamental grasses, being grasses they can be chopped almost to the ground.

Plant bare rooted roses, fruit bushes, lilies and alliums. It is a good time to plant bare rooted native hedgerow species, that is if you want a hedge, if not perhaps leave this bit out, but if a hedge is on your 2026 to do list try to refrain from planting non-native species such as laurel. Although it gives a brilliant green and private screen, it isn’t liked by native wildlife, English Yew is an option and it is very versatile especially if topiary is your thing.

Divide large clumps of snowdrops while you can still see their leaves and therefore know where to find them

Trim climbers of any description before the nesting season, same for any late trimming of hedging, if not done now it should be left until September.

Feed the borders, sprinkle slow-release fertilisers around roses and other shrubs.

Check your seed packets, any with use-by dates from years ago (yes, have a look, you have, haven’t you?) should be replaced with new packets. Also check for planting dates, I am always amazed at how early in the year some seeds need planting, Brussels Sprouts included, let’s make 2026 the year of the sprout!

And finally, the lawn, it may be too early to mention cutting the grass but now is a good time to ensure the mower is in a fit state to get a good start when conditions are good enough for that all important (and not too short) first cut of the year. If lawnmower servicing isn’t on your CV, the option is to check it into the nearest lawnmower repair man (or woman) before the year’s grass cutting starts in earnest.

Keep gardening, Richard Haigh EGRGA Communication