Welcome to February's tips. We have added lots of video clips to the tips, however if you prefer to read instructions then click the more information and the written tips will be displayed under the videos.
Dividing Snowdrops
Dig-Split-Divide
Once the weather improves get cracking with your clump forming herbaceous plants which have expanded, overcrowded and got too big. Dig up the whole clump while still dormant and quite literally chop it up into sections with a spade. One clump to plant back in situ, one or two clumps for somewhere else in the garden, and the rest for sale on your National Garden Scheme Open Day, Village Fete, Charity Auction.
Plants you can deal with in this way:-
Acanthus (evergreen)
Alstroemeria
Astilbe
Bergenia
Echinops
Hardy Ferns
Hedychium
Herbaceous Paeonies
Hostas
Kniphofia
Phormium
Fascicularia bicolor
Fascicularia bicolor will have produced wonderfully coloured rosettes through the Autumn and Winter. It will also have developed many offshoots or offsets. Lift the clump gently. Discard the plants that have had flowering rosettes as they will die afterwards. Prize off the side shoots and pot or plant out for form new clumps.
We have more information on caring for Fascicularia bicolor if you are interested in learning more.
Perennial Grasses
Perennial grasses often look a mess at the start of the season. These too can be dug and split up. However a good crop or haircut will often suffice. After a cold winter clumps of Cortaderia (Pampas Grass) often look like a mass of dead. There will be life at the base of the plant but all the deads needs stripping away with a thick glove to protect your hands.
We have a full care article on grasses if you would like more information
Primulas
Primula ‘Wanda’ will start to flower here and the first primroses (Primula vulgaris) will attract comment. More harbingers of Spring!
