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February Gardening Guide

February Gardening Guide

The warm weather, ripe summer fruits, and the arrival of the month of love and flowers make this a truly enchanting time of year. As summer seems to go on and on in sunny South Africa, let us bask in its vibrant glory, offering an abundance of blooms and fruits to fuel your gardening passion. After all, as the Dutch proverb goes, “If you want to be happy for a lifetime, plant a garden.”

So, let’s nurture that joy together, dear gardening friends — here’s your February Gardening Guide for bulbs and beyond.


What’s flowering

Some summer-flowering bulbs may have taken their final bow, but not these stars of the season. Let’s take a moment for those still dazzling us with their spectacular show!


  • Aggies (agapanthus)

  • Amaryllis

  • Boophone (Cape poison blog)

  • Canna

  • Crocosmia 

  • Cyrtanthus 

  • Dahlia

  • Dierama (hair bells, fairy fishing rod or wand flower)

  • Dietes (butterfly iris)

  • Eucomis (pineapple lily)

  • Gladioli

  • Haemanthus (paint brush)

  • Hemerocallis (daylily)

  • Hymenocallis (spider lily)

  • Kniphofia (red hot poker)

  • Polianthes (tuberose)

  • Scadoxus (torch lily or paint brush)

  • Tigridia (one-day lily)

  • Watsonia (evergreen)

  • Zantedeschia aethiopica (arum lily)

  • Zephyranthes grandiflora (rain lily)



Crocosmia

What’s dormant

Your winter and spring-flowering beauties are getting in their last few winks before reawakening to their next growth cycle. With that in mind bulbs like Ipheion can be lifted and moved to other parts of your garden so that you can spread their beauty.


  • Babiana (baboon flower)

  • Daffodils

  • Daubenya

  • Freesia

  • Hyacinthoides

  • Ipheion

  • Ixia

  • Leucojum 

  • Muscari 

  • Ornithogalum (chincherinchee)

  • Sparaxis 

  • Tritonia 

  • Veltheimia 


We recommend buying the following bulbs fresh each season, as our warm spring and summer temperatures make it tricky for them to return successfully. Think of it as giving your garden a fresh start with the season’s best!


  • Anemone

  • Dutch iris

  • Hyacinths

  • Hyacinthoides

  • Ranunculus



Hyacinths

What to do with dormant bulbs

If you’ve lifted and stored your dormant bulbs, hold off on planting them until the weather cools down enough to tuck them in again.


What to do with bulbs after they have flowered

Feed, feed, feed! If you want your bulbs to show off their perennial prowess year after year, nourishment is key. Spoil them with Hadeco Bulb Food or similar and keep in mind that just one little feeding won’t cut it—make it a regular treat! Aim to feed them every 2-3 weeks until they head into their dormant period. Your plants will thank you with stunning blooms, season after season.


Don’t forget to give them a drink too! As they continue to photosynthesise and store up energy before their well-deserved rest, water is essential. They might not be blooming right now, but trust us, they are still hard at work—and that is a beauty all on its own.


What to plant 

In the bulb world, February gives you a bit of a break. Just don’t get too comfy, autumn is coming! Here’s a handful of plants you can still plant this month to keep your garden growing.


  • Amaryllis

  • Hippeastrum papilio (butterfly amaryllis)

  • Tulbaghia 


Preorder winter and spring flowering bulbs


Don’t forget to visit the winter bulbs page on  www.hadeco.co.za and add your email to the ‘Notify me when available’ section for the bulbs you simply can’t wait to grow. This way, you won’t miss out! Once stock is updated, you’ll receive an email and can preorder all your favourites with ease.

Side note: Select winter bulbs will be available at garden centres, nurseries, and select retailers from mid-March—perfect for treating yourself to some gardening spoils while running errands or doing your weekly grocery shop!


Growing bulbs indoors 

Amaryllis can be grown until March and thrives indoors in a warm, bright spot like a sunny windowsill. You can plant it in a container with soil or grow it hydroponically using stones and water. Curious about hydroponics? Check out our guide here.


High summer watering and garden care

While summer blooms are booming, to keep them looking their best, they do require regular and deep watering. If you are in a summer rainfall region, thank the heavens!


If not, prevent scorching days that leave your plants gasping by applying a thick layer of compost as mulch to help retain moisture. When it comes to summer bulbs, many benefit from an afternoon shade position for this very reason.


Seeds to plant 

Here’s your February planting cheat sheet for South Africa—because even seeds need to know when it’s their time to shine!


Vegetables

  • Beetroot

  • Broccoli

  • Brussel sprouts

  • Cabbages

  • Carrots

  • Cauliflowers

  • Celery

  • Kale

  • Leeks

  • Lettuces

  • Radishes

  • Rocket

  • Spinach

  • Swiss chard

  • Peas


Herbs

  • Coriander

  • Parsley

  • Rosemary

  • Sage

  • Thyme


Keep your evergreen veggies and fruiting stars—like beans, tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, and squashes—happy and thriving with a monthly dose of Pokon Bio Vegetable Garden Fertiliser. Then, don’t forget your herbs! Treat them to some love with Pokon Lavender and Herb Fertiliser—they deserve a gourmet meal too!

Make your February garden even more stunning with a little planting, some tender care, and a generous sprinkle of patience. Beauty takes time, but it is always worth the effort and waiting!



Happy February gardening!

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