Caterham and District Horticultural Society
ESTABLISHED 1886
Located in the shed on the allotments behindAvenue Road,Caterham Hill
Open Saturday mornings 9.30 – 12.00
In a hard winter February is one of the coldest months; preparation of the ground for spring planting can be carried out when weather permits. Make full use of any glass, plastic or polythene to protect plants and warm up the soil. Expose the clods you dig up for frosts to break it down to a fine tilth. Organic matter will enrich the soil with nutrients and improve drainage. Always make sure that there is a gap of a month between liming and manuring.
Hygiene is very important, so sterilise all pots and seed trays that have been used previously.
Control weeds and prevent greenfly and whitefly residing in conservatories and greenhouses.
Potted outdoor plants should not be standing in water.
On a dry day replace grease bands around the main stems of fruit trees.
Spray winter tar oil on apples, pears, currants and gooseberries.
Prune apples and pears and cut back any newly planted summer raspberries. Netting over fruit bushes prevents damage by birds.
Prune grapes or ornamental vines.
Check newly planted trees and shrubs and tread down firmly if loosened by frost or heavy snowfalls.
Protect the leaves and branches of peaches and nectarines from wet weather up to early April with polythene which acts as a precaution against peach leaf curl.
Replace/ reinforce dodgy fence posts to avoid further damage.
Prune the larger clematis that flower from July onwards.
Provide food, fresh water and nesting boxes for resident birds.
Check stored fruit, vegetables and flower tubers regularly.
Sowing before the end of February:
Annual climbers
Herbaceous perennials – delphiniums, coreopsis and geum
Begonias, impatiens and pelargoniums do well from March to early April
Aubergines, peppers and tomatoes in a warm environment
Onion sets in a firm, well prepared bed
Start chitting potatoes
At this time of year we get a variety of seed potatoes, onion, shallot and garlic sets from a reliable supplier. We also stock a range of other items which are very useful for the new year’s gardening activities. A membership fee of £4 covers the entire family for the year.