Oops I missed a couple of months! But I think we can all recognise when winter hits the UK, we just want to hibernate- well that was me anyway! Now February is here, there is a definite feeling of optimism in the air and finally Spring is around the corner. I don’t know if it’s just me, but this December / January has felt particularly miserable weather-wise! I’ve looked back on photographs from Jan 2021 and 2022 and there were bright blue skies when all we got this year was drizzle and wind (oh the wind)! But I’ll stop focussing on that now and look to the excitement of the garden year ahead.
Daffodils are some of the earliest bulbs to spring up
Catkins- the male sex cells that appear over winter whilst there is little foliage around so that they can find the female counterpart easier.
The last week or so has seen lots of bulbs breaching the soil surface, buds on trees and bird life a little more rambunctious. I enjoyed watching two blackbirds having a spat in the apple trees in our lane. Soon the skylarks will be noisily charging intruders to their territory. It is really a time when life starts to pick up!
So, what can we be doing in the wildlife garden?
Don’t get ahead of yourself! Leave things be and don’t go tidying up too early. There is a bit of an internal battle going on in my own head at the moment between tidying up my outside space and leaving the piles of dead leaves and sticks etc. I’ll always err on the side of leaving things, but it is understandable to want a functional, aesthetic looking space. If possible, leave as much as you can until after any chance of frost so that the wintering wildlife has their home to protect them until they are fully ready to emerge.
Ponds: You can remove floating leaves and dead plants, but I wouldn’t go stirring up the bottom and always be on the lookout for frog spawn- Cornwall sees very early spawning. Again- hibernating critters aren’t going to appreciate having to flee their homes too early. I’d leave any major cleaning/ clearing for Autumn.
Plant trees and divide perennials: It is still the dormant period which is a great time for planting bare root and container plants, or dividing perennials to get a wider spread of those plants for free. As long as the ground isn’t sodden or frozen, planting is a great winter activity! I’ve recently planted some raspberries at the allotment- great for future berries and pollinators love them too.
Time to get some fruit bushes in.
Get those bird boxes up! Now, now, now! Garden birds will be looking for nest sites very soon. It is also a time to think about setting up for summer visitors. I will be campaigning for swifts this year and I implore everyone who is able to, to put up a swift box. I will blog on this soon, but if you need further advice, ask in the comments or see RSPB. I’ll be purchasing a swift box from Green and Blue this month to install on the front of my house. They have a few options so check them out.
A sparrow box from Green and Blue- a great local Cornish company.
Prune: Last chance for things like apple and pear and a good idea for hedging and any tree that you would like to significantly cut back- before birds make their nests. It is a good idea to prune trees so that there is good air flow between the branches. This reduces pests and diseases in a toxin free way. Compost branches or leave a stick pile in a corner for invertebrates.
Planning: This is the time to really consider how your garden ‘behaves’. What processes occurred over the last 12 months? Where were the frost pockets? Where did sunlight reach/ not penetrate? This can really help with planning what will go best where. Ponds do well in open, well lit areas. Bulbs and woodland plants do well in the shade. How do you want to move around your garden? Could this affect how wildlife use it? Each garden has different elements that make it up and different requirements from the home owner. It is a balance of what you want and how you would like for wildlife to interact with your space. (If you would like specific guidance- contact me!)
Make sure to always offer food, clean water, access and shelter.
I’m really looking forward to making some additions to my garden space and allotment this year. I’ll be sure to update on here to hopefully offer some encouragement!
Have a question about what to do in your garden in February? Please leave a comment below!
If you are local to the North Cornish coast and would like a survey and advice on how to make your garden more wildlife friendly, please contact me!