Away from any weather forecasts and basic coffee readings, we consulted the phenological calendar, which is based not on the traditional four seasons, but on ten seasons. Phenology, an ancient Greek science that the German Weather Service also deals with, examines the periodically recurring developmental characteristics of nature in the long term and derives certain events and sequences of the so-called indicator plants from them.
Instead of relying on a fixed date when gardening, certain works are based exclusively on nature observed over many years. In contrast to the calendar or astronomical seasons, with phenology the most prominent garden dates are not fixed to the exact day, but are updated year by year and according to the climatic region. For the sake of simplicity and clarity, it's best to look at the whole thing in a table.
Which gardening tips apply to February?
In February you should cut hedges, fruit trees and summer-flowering trees in the garden, remove dead plant parts and sow sunflowers, kohlrabi and tomatoes indoors. It is also advisable to prepare nesting boxes for birds.
Month | Phenological season | Characteristics and indicator plant | optimal time for: |
---|---|---|---|
December / January | Winter | Oak leaves fall | Cutting fruit trees |
January / February / March | Early spring | Snowdrops bloom | Cutting hedges, fruit trees and summer-flowering trees, removing inflorescences and dead plant parts, sowing sunflowers, kohlrabi and tomatoes (in the house) |
February / March | First Spring | Forsythia blooming | Cut berry bushes and roses, sow summer flowers, carrots, lettuce and radishes, |
March / April / May | Full Spring | Apple trees are blooming | Laying or mowing the lawn, cutting spring-flowering trees, planting bulbous and tuber plants, planting tuber plants after the ice saints |
May / June | Early summer | Elderberry flowers | Cut hedges, sow biennial plants (brussels and kale) |
June / July / August | midsummer | Linden blossoming | Berry bushes, fruit trees, cutting roses, planting strawberries |
August / September | late summer | Early apples become ripe | Cut hedges and fruit trees, plant onions and tubers, sow spinach and lamb's lettuce |
September / October | Early Autumn | Elderberries ripen | cutting the last hedges and fruit trees, laying the lawn, fertilizing the lawn, adding spring bloomers (crocuses, daffodils, etc.) |
October / November | Full Autumn | Walnuts ripening | Launch, rake leaves and compost; Dig up and store frost-sensitive tubers |
November / December | late autumn | Oak leaves change color | no pruning work, provide winter protection for plants and trees, harvest kale and Brussels sprouts after the first frost |
Specifically for February and for our currently temperate Central European region, the following should therefore be tackled in February:
Working in the kitchen garden
- On frost-free days you can start turning or sieving the compost;
- Prepare the beds and order seeds. It's best to start with the varieties that are difficult to obtain in local stores and sell out relatively quickly in popular online shops such as dreschflegel.de, arche-noah.at, vern.de etc. (see also news topic 5);
- Light germinators, such as celery, can now be placed in the seed trays (at 18 to 20° C).
- With foil (€13.00 on Amazon), fleece and thermal nets, the vegetable harvest can now be brought forward by a good four weeks. Carrots, lettuce and radishes as well as kohlrabi and leeks (preferably cold-resistant varieties) can also be placed in the prepared growing boxes. The emerging plants harden particularly well if the boxes or their windows are set up for a few hours on milder days.
- Before the days get warmer again, if possible, harvest any remaining amounts of Brussels sprouts. Anything not consumed immediately can be blanched and frozen.
Tasks for ornamental plants and woody plants
- Newly planted fruit trees can now be fertilized for the first time. This promotes the formation of new shoots and strengthens the growth of the vital roots.
- Due to the extremely wet winter, it is also recommended to check all tree posts for rot.
- Perennials, such as chrysanthemums, coneflowers, fireweed or sedum, whose inflorescences were not completely cleared away in autumn, must be cut back now. The same applies to the ornamental grasses (switchgrass, miscanthus, etc.).