11 Garden Tasks to Tackle in February

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February is not my favourite month. It’s still cold outside, and some days it’s so foggy and gloomy that one could think Spring will never come. On the other hand, however, we can witness how the days become longer in February. Sometimes, temperatures are above zero, and although the melting water leaves the paths and patches muddy, the smell of thawing earth bears the promise of warmer days. That’s when I can feel the itch in my fingers to dig into soil! While we may not be able to plant outdoors yet, there are still plenty of garden tasks we should tackle in February.

Once spring has arrived, it seems that everything must be done right then and there, and we could easily get overwhelmed. Doing some of these tasks now can add 2 – 3 weeks to our growing season!

So, roll up your sleeves and let’s get started!

Overview of garden tasks in February 2026

Here’s a quick overview of all tasks and when to tackle them:

#1 Turn your compost heap

If you’re like me and have forgotten to cover your compost heap in late autumn, it’ll be a bit on the wet side by now. That’s why now, depending on your climate, can be a good time to turn up your compost heap. That way, dry and wet parts are mixed, the heap is aired, and microorganisms, as well as soil organisms, can start working again as soon as it becomes warmer.

When the soil– and thus your compost heap– is no longer frozen,  turn everything out with a fork. Either you put it in a new compost heap or box right away, or you make a heap beside your initial compost heap.

If the compost is very wet, mix dry parts into it, for example, hay, leaves or even scraps of cardboard. In the unlikely case that your compost is too dry, water it after you’ve mixed it through and made a new heap.

When you’ve turned over the compost heap, remember to cover it so that nutrients won’t be washed out.

#2 Soil preparation

During winter, the soil in your garden has become dense, and we must loosen it up to prepare it for the first sowings.

As you may know by now, I don’t dig up my garden soil but rather loosen it with the help of a garden fork. When the soil is no longer frozen and has dried somewhat, prick the fork into the soil and jiggle it forward and backwards. That way, the soil will loosen, and air will get into the deeper soil layers. This air will help warm the soil up faster and transport oxygen to the deeper layers of our garden soil.

#3 Refreshing container soil

Garden tasks in February not only include preparing the soil in the patches, but also refreshing used soil for pot planting.

Soil that has been left in balcony trays or pots is pretty much leached out. Dump all this soil into a big container or bucket, add a bit (not too much!) of organic and mineral fertiliser (compost, horn shavings, rock powder, etc.). Now add one part of fresh soil to three parts of used soil. For example, if you have three buckets of spent soil in your mixing container, add one bucket of fresh soil to it.

Mix all the ingredients really well together, and you can use this refreshed soil for your planting pots again. By treating it that way, you not only add the nutrients necessary for healthy plant growth, but by mixing and adding new soil, you also bypass the necessity of crop rotation.

Crop rotation: An agricultural practice to cultivate crops from different plant families in the same place to improve soil health, repel pests and enhance nutrient levels. Click here for a detailed guide to crop rotation.

#4 Check your seeds

By now, you’ll certainly have a planting plan and know what seeds you’ll need. Check the seeds you may have bought or harvested from last year, and buy or trade seeds on local exchange platforms. That way, you’ll not only become a little bit more independent, but you’ll also get seeds that are perfectly adapted to your climate.

#5 Organise your seeds

For years, I bought seeds I already had, just because I had overlooked them in my chaos called the seed box. That only changed when I took the time to organise that box. I took a shoe box and divided it with cardboard into sections. Each section is dedicated to a plant or plant group, for example, tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage, spinach, etc. I put my seed packages in the appropriate section, and that way I can see at a glance what seeds I have and what I need.

#6 Review last year’s garden journal and plan improvements

Before long, we’ll be in the midst of seed-starting, planting, maintaining and harvesting again. Now is the short time frame where we have the opportunity to enhance our knowledge on gardening, review what went well last year and what didn’t.

For example, look what varieties performed poorly and find better alternatives.

Or maybe you realised that one of your patches is shadowed early in the afternoon by a big bush.

February is still a month of reflection and planning, and that’s why now is the perfect time to learn from our experience from the last season and plan improvements based on the lessons we’ve learned.

Here are resources for common issues you might be planning to address:

Beginner’s Guide: How to Start A Vegetable Garden

How to make a vegetable patch: A beginners’ guide

Seed-starting cucumbers: how to get healthy seedlings

Succession Planting Guide: Maximize Your Vegetable Garden Harvest Year-Round

#7 Build garden elements

Have you longed for a cold frame? Now’s the time to build one. The same goes for insect hotels, trellises, raised beds and decorative articles you may want to have for your garden but haven’t found the muse to build.

These are perfect projects for rainy or cold days: Head to your workshop, grab your saw, screwdriver and screws and start building.

#8 Refresh your garden paths

I use wood shavings and chips on my garden paths and at the end of winter (that is: now), I add a fresh coat of them. It not only suppresses weeds but also prevents the earth from the beds from falling onto the path, as long as the layer of wood chips is as high as the soil in your beds.

Alternatively, build frames around your beds, either with planks, round timber, fences made from willow twigs, stone and so on. There are no limits to your imagination. Think it – build it.

#9 Fruit tree and berry bush pruning

Another important garden task in February is pruning. If you haven’t pruned your fruit trees and berry bushes yet, now is more or less your last chance. Here in Germany, we must be done pruning by March 1. After that date, it’s forbidden to cut back any trees or bushes so that the birds won’t be disturbed when they build new nests. Check your local regulations on that matter.

By pruning, we thin the tree crowns and bushes so that they become lighter and airier, and the fruits have more room to grow and ripen.

You can cut the twigs and branches with a wood chopper and use that material for your garden paths or as a mulch for your beds. Leave some sturdy branches and use them as a trellis for peas that you can sow later in spring.

#10 Clean your greenhouse

Over the winter, algae and dirt have collected on the greenhouse sides and windows. Like with every good spring cleaning, this must be removed so that your plants inside will get enough light to grow healthily.

Get a bucket of hot water and some soft soap, and clean the windows and walls from inside by brushing the dirt off with a brush or a sponge. Rinse off with clean water and marvel at how light it has suddenly become in your greenhouse.

#11 Seed-start

I live in a hardiness zone 7b and can seed-start some vegetables in February already. Depending on your growing zone, this may vary by a few weeks. On this site, you can find out your hardiness zone. Here you can read up on what vegetables and herbs you can seed-start in February, and which you can already sow into a coldframe or greenhouse.

Check out my complete beginner’s guide to seed-starting here.

Yes, I know, it’s still winter, but spring is already lurking around the corner, and we can do a lot of garden tasks in February to give our garden a head start for the upcoming season.

Don’t wait until March – by then, you’ll have missed the window for several of these tasks. Imagine stepping into your garden in late spring, when others are just starting to prep, and you’re already harvesting.

Remember that itch to get busy in the garden? Now channel that energy into these tasks – your garden is waiting.

Can’t wait to work in your garden? 

Browse my complete gardening library for step-by-step guides on every aspect of vegetable growing, from planning to harvest.