The garden in February — Italy

AT A GLANCE

Cut back hard the shrubs and climbers that flower in summer.
Cut down grasses and dead perennial stems before new growth starts.
Prune roses at the end of the month (from mid-month in the centre and south).
Sow tomatoes, peppers and long-season flowers in the warm.
Prune grapevines and, where the hard frosts are over, olives.

Spotlight: pruning olives – when and how

Olives are pruned in late winter or early spring, once the hard frosts are over: February in the south, March–April in the centre and north. Pruning followed by a frost leaves the cuts and the canopy open to damage.

The aim is to let light and air into the tree. Start with the suckers at the base and the water shoots – the vigorous vertical stems growing up through the middle – then remove dead wood, crossing branches and anything pointing into the centre. The most common shape is the open vase, with three or four main limbs spreading outwards. Olives fruit on one-year-old wood, so heavy pruning – more than about a quarter of the canopy – costs you next year's crop and triggers yet more water shoots.

For an ornamental olive in a pot the principle is the same, just on a smaller scale: keep the canopy airy, shorten any branches that unbalance the shape and never prune in autumn. Clean cuts with sharp, clean tools reduce the risk of olive knot and peacock spot.

Olive Pruning an apple or pear tree ›

In your area

NORTH

Night frosts are still common; these are the last useful days for bare-root planting. Prune roses and summer-flowering shrubs at the end of the month. Sow only in the warm, indoors or in a greenhouse.

CENTRAL

Prune grapevines now and olives at the end of the month. Sow tomatoes, aubergines and peppers in trays; peas and broad beans direct in the mildest areas.

SOUTH AND ISLANDS

Pruning season for olives and citrus, and sowing season too: tomatoes and peppers in trays, carrots, lettuces, chard and peas direct.

Jobs this month

Pruning for summer flowers

Shrubs and climbers that flower on the current year's growth are cut back now so they produce plenty of new shoots. The rule of thumb: if it flowers after the start of summer, it can be pruned in late winter.

Cut buddleja back to a low framework, two or three buds from the old wood. Pruning shrubs (general principles) › Butterfly bush

Prune group 3 clematis to 30cm from the ground, just above a pair of fat buds. Pruning climbers (general) › Clematis

Cut overwintered bougainvillea, plumbago and mandevilla back to their framework. Pruning climbers (general) › Bougainvillea Plumbago Mandevilla

Prune crape myrtle and hardy hibiscus before growth starts – they flower on new wood. Avoid lopping them into stumps. Pruning shrubs (general principles) › Crape myrtle Hibiscus

Cut ornamental elders back hard for the best foliage. Pruning shrubs (general principles) › Elder

Olives, vines and citrus

Olives are pruned from late winter into spring, once the risk of hard frost has passed: a cut followed by a frost exposes the tree to damage. Grapevines are pruned while dormant, by the end of the month in the centre and south.

In the centre and south, prune olives, opening up the middle of the canopy to the light; in the north, wait until March. Pruning an apple or pear tree › Olive

Prune grapevines, leaving the right number of buds for the training system you use. Grape vine

In the south, feed citrus as growth restarts and check them for scale. Feeding & NPK basics › Kumquat

Tidying the borders

Seedheads and stems left standing for the winter can come down now, before new shoots appear and get trampled.

Cut deciduous grasses such as miscanthus close to the base; just comb through evergreen ones. Cutting back ornamental grasses › Miscanthus Feather grass Sedge

Cut dead perennial stems down to the base, leaving a few hollow stems in a corner for insects. Cutting back herbaceous perennials › Rudbeckia Coneflower

Remove old hellebore leaves so the flowers show and leaf spot doesn't spread. Hellebore

First sowings

With warmth and good light, February sowings of slow crops give sturdy plants for planting out. Without a heated propagator and a bright windowsill, it's better to wait a month: late, stocky seedlings beat early, leggy ones.

Sow tomatoes, peppers and aubergines in a heated propagator. Sowing in trays under cover › Tomato Chilli pepper

Sow snapdragons and sweet peas under cover. Sowing in trays under cover › Snapdragon Sweet pea

In the centre and south, sow peas, carrots and lettuces direct. Propagation: sowing seed › Pea Carrot Lettuce

Sow and plant

Sow

Tomatoes, peppers and aubergines (in the warm)
Sweet peas and snapdragons under cover
Centre and south: peas, carrots, lettuces and chard direct
Onions from seed

Plant out

Bare-root roses, hedging and fruit trees
Garlic (if not planted in autumn)
Shallot sets in mild areas
Snowdrops 'in the green' after flowering

Watch out for

Late frostA mild spell followed by a hard frost damages buds and early shoots, especially on hydrangeas, pieris and camellias and on apricot and almond blossom.Slugs on new shootsThe first mild, damp nights bring slugs out onto emerging hostas and delphiniums.Vine weevil in potsPotted plants that wilt or lift out of the pot with no roots: look for white, C-shaped grubs in the compost.

Questions

When should roses be pruned?

Bush and shrub roses from late February to mid-March in the north, and from mid-February in the centre and south, when the buds are swelling but before the leaves open. Rambling roses are pruned after flowering, in summer.

When should olives be pruned?

From late winter to early spring, once the risk of hard frost has passed: February in the south, March–April in the centre and north. Pruning followed by a frost exposes the tree to damage.

Can I sow tomatoes in February?

Yes in the south and centre, in trays in the warm. In the north only with a heated propagator and plenty of light; for an outdoor vegetable plot, March sowings give sturdier plants.