Week 1: February Gardening

Even though the garden's still coping with
summer, February's an important month to start
planning for the winter/spring display.

Flowers to sow in February - Violas
These days, as a result of extensive breeding,
it's difficult to distinguish violas from pansies.
Suffice it to say that violas tend to have
somewhat smaller flowers and tougher
constitutions than pansies. Viola Toyland,
available in Yates seed range, produces a
seemingly endless abundance of brightly
coloured blooms that defy the cold of winter.
Sow seeds into pots of Yates Black Magic Seed
Raising Mix and keep in a cool, lightly shaded
spot. Viola seeds can take three to four weeks
to germinate, so keep them moist throughout
that time. Watch out for any extra hot days!

Vegies to sow in February
February's a good month to sow the in-between
vegies such as beetroot, silverbeet (pictured),

carrots and radishes. All are best sown directly
where they're to grow, so spend some time
preparing the soil before planting. This will
mean incorporating well-aged compost (your
own homemade variety is best) into the soil,
and adding some complete fertiliser (Thrive
Granular All Purpose or Biogold pellets).
Hasten germination of beetroot and silverbeet
seeds by soaking them in water overnight
before sowing. This will help moisture to
penetrate the corky seed coat.

Prune in February
Light trimming of evergreen shrubs at this time
of year will yield tip cuttings that can be used to
propagate new plants. For example, try
growing some new gardenias from ten-
centimetre-long sections. Dip the cut ends into
Yates Clonex, poke carefully into a pot filled
with Black Magic Seed Raising Mix and keep
cool and moist. Check for root formation after
new growth has appeared and, eventually,
move new plants into separate pots.

Feed in February
Although their flowering period may seem a
long way off, camellias and azaleas are gearing
up for the big show so feed them now, ideally
with a specific azalea and camellia fertiliser.
Check azalea leaves for the tell-tale mottling
caused by sap-sucking thrips. Treat with
Confidor, but make a note to begin spraying
earlier next year (because once the leaves are
spoilt they won't regain their colour, even after
the pests have gone).

Pest watch in February
As well as azalea pests there are many others
to watch out for at this time. Some of the worst
are the fungal diseases that flourish in the
humid summer weather. Powdery mildew,
named for the white coating it creates on the
leaves, rust, which resembles the damage seen
in iron-based metal, and black spot are the
three worst. Try to remove affected leaves and
feed susceptible plants with high potash Thrive
Flower & Fruit. If the problem persists, use a
good quality fungicide (Nature's way Fungus
Spray for edibles, Yates Rose Gun for
ornamentals).