Help us prepare our community garden for spring and create a beautiful, sustainable space for everyone to enjoy. We’ve recently raised £400 for plants, seeds, bulbs and soil amendments to make a start on the growing season. Lets plan the season together!
Jobs for this Month
In February, there are plenty of jobs you can be doing at Meadow Orchard in our Kitchen Garden, especially preparing the soil and planning for the growing season ahead. Here’s a breakdown of tasks focusing on food growing, composting, and mulching, as well as some specific tips for onions and broad beans.
General Tasks for February
Composting
February is a good time to add any leftover winter plant matter to the bins. It’s also a good idea to turn maturing compost. If the weather allows, aerating your compost by turning it or using our corkscrew aerator helps prevent it from becoming too wet and compacted during the colder months.
Adding lots of organic matter and compost really ensures a great crop of produce come harvest.
Mulching
Mulching helps conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. Apply mulch to garden beds to protect plants from frost, and also to enrich the soil as it breaks down.
You can use well-rotted organic matter, such as compost, straw, or wood chips. Make sure it’s not too thick, as this can create a barrier that stops air and water from reaching the soil.
Woodchip paths and edge beds
Help us spread woodchip to help keep our paths accessible and in tip top condition!
Specific Crops for February
Onions
Planting
We’ll be making a start on planting our winter-hardy onion sets this month.
Spaced around 10-15 cm apart, with their tips just poking out of the soil. Onions thrive in the sunny spot in our new raised beds by the polytunnel.
Care
Onions don’t like wet feet so grow well in raised beds or containers which improves drainage.
Broad Beans
Sowing
Broad beans are hardy and can be sown in February, especially early varieties. They can be sown directly into the ground or started indoors in our mini propagators and hardened off later.
If sowing directly, plant broad beans 5-7 cm deep, with around 20-25 cm between seeds in rows that are around 30cm apart. Broad beans are frost-tolerant, but in very harsh weather, can be protected with fleece.
Supporting Plants
Broad beans need support as they grow. We use bamboo canes to form a row of support.
Other Jobs in the Garden
Prepare Seedlings
You can start planning and preparing for the growing season by sowing seeds indoors for early crops like tomatoes, peppers, and salad greens.
Cleaning Tools and Containers
Ensure all your gardening tools are clean and sharp. Wash pots, trays, and other equipment to prevent disease spread.
Plan Your Garden Layout
Start mapping out where each crop will go this year, considering crop rotation and companion planting to maximize soil health and yield.
Woodchip paths and edge beds
Help us spread woodchip to help keep our paths in tip top condition!
By helping us get a head start in February, you’ll help us create a thriving growing season at Meadow Orchard.
Meadow Orchard Project 