Garden and greenhouse hints for February fruit growing

14:56 17th February 2010

Brits hoping to plant fruit trees will soon be able to do so, with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) suggesting that it should be done after the last frosts of the year are gone.

Once in the ground, any weeds should be removed from the surrounding soil and a top dressing of sulphate of potash should be applied.

Other useful February fruit growing tasks include spraying the leaves against leaf curl and pruning established plants before the weather heats up.

New fruit growers should not fret if their initial crops fail to materialise as the RHS explained that trees often mature over time, becoming more prolific as they establish themselves.

This can take a number of years but is well worth the wait as they will then produce regular harvests without the need for replanting in a different area in the same way that vegetable crops require.

Soil-grown strawberries should be covered with cloches, while pot-grown varieties can be moved into the greenhouse to speed the growing process and provide early yields.

Meanwhile, gardening tips website lovethegarden.com was recently relaunched and can be an invaluable tool for horticulture enthusiasts.