ESSENTIAL JOBS CHECKLIST FOR FEBRUARY

• Start to prune roses and clematis
• Plant bare-rooted trees, shrubs, roses and hedges
• Mulch round established plants
• Pick off dying flowers from winter bedding
• Start to sow summer bedding in a heated greenhouse
• Split overcrowded snowdrops and plant new bulbs
• Plant lily bulbs in pots
• Start to sow vegetable seeds under cloches and in propagators

• Start to prune clematis. For more help to get you started, read our Quick Guide. Clematis fall into one of three basic categories – early-flowered such as montanas, early large-flowered hybrids and those flowering after midsummer. The ones that need pruning now fall into the last two groups, so check first which varieties you've got. For the last group, the late-flowerers, it's very easy – cut them down to six to eight inches above soil level, cutting just above a bud if you can. Don't prune spring-flowering clematis or you'll get no flowers! After pruning feed with your favourite J Arthur Bower's plant food, either Growmore or Fish, Blood and Bone. The early large-flowered varieties are a bit more tricky. You need to cut back healthy stems to just above a strong pair of leaf buds. Don't cut right back or you won't get the early flowers at all.
• Split clumps of overcrowded snowdrops by digging them up and gently teasing the bulbs apart. Replant in groups of five using a handful of peat or J Arthur Bower's Mulch and Mix in the planting hole.
• Continue to plant bare-rooted shrubs, trees and perennials.
• Continue to mulch established borders.

• Roses can also be pruned now. Shrub roses don't need much trimming, but you can be quite severe with hybrid teas and florabundas. First cut all dead wood, then cut out crowded or crossing stems. Finally cut back the remaining stems by about half. Aim to cut to just above an outward facing bud and this will help to make the bush grow outwards. After pruning use J Arthur Bower's Pure Rose feed
• Continue to plant bare-rooted roses

• If your lawn is a bit soggy, pierce it all over with a garden fork at six-inch intervals to help drainage.

• You can make the first sowings in a heated propagator of summer bedding. Those needing an early start include petunias, geraniums, Busy Lizzies and nicotianas. Use one of the J Arthur Bower's seed composts, or multi-purpose composts.
• Tomatoes can also be sown this month
• Towards the end of the month start pelargoniums into growth by watering gently. Once growth starts, cut back the plant and repot it into fresh multi-purpose compost
• Fuchsias can also be started. Cut them back to about six inches, report into multi-purpose compost then water gently.

• Keep picking off the dead heads from winter pansies and primroses to keep them looking good.

• Under cloches you can sow broad beans, early carrots and parsnips.
• Sow summer cabbages, onions, leeks and peas in a warm propagator.

• Sow small quantities of parsley seed in a seed tray.. It's a good idea to sow parsley every four weeks until autumn. This will ensure a succession of fresh foliage for harvesting. To help the seeds germinate, soak them in warm water for several hours, then dry before sowing in your favourite J Arthur Bower's Seed Compost.

• Continue to plant bare-rooted fruit trees
• If your fruit trees have had a lot of problems with pests and diseases it's worth trying a spray of tar oil winter wash over the trunk and branches. Always follow the instructions carefully and be sure not to spray on a windy day.

• Cut back in decaying plants and remove dead leaves from your pond if you didn't do it in the autumn.

• If frost has lifted your alpines firm them back into the soil or replant if necessary. Dress round the plants with J Arthur Bower's lime-free coarse grit.

Look at our information pages. The aim is to cut out the mystique that surrounds many common tasks, and to explain in a simple way, why and how to do them. This way, we hope to help you enjoy your garden more, and get the best out of it.

Under each topic, you'll also find a guide to the wide range of J Arthur Bower's products available to help you with that particular task. The choice is yours.