{"id":41605,"date":"2026-02-06T11:10:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T11:10:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ossettweather.com\/gardening2022\/?page_id=41605"},"modified":"2026-03-02T09:46:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T09:46:35","slug":"february-2026-video","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ossettweather.com\/gardening2022\/february-2026-video\/","title":{"rendered":"February 2026 Video"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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February 2026 Video Diary<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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06 February 2026<\/h3>

Hazelling – coppicing our hazel and harvesting leeks<\/h3>

Sunday finally gave us a half-decent day, so I took the chance to coppice one of our hazel trees. It\u2019s been about three years since this one was last cut, and we\u2019re still using some of the old poles as bean supports.<\/p>

The cutting itself doesn\u2019t take long. It\u2019s moving and sorting the branches that takes the time.<\/p>

Sue helped split everything into bean poles and pea sticks, and while I finished tidying up, she cut back another buddleia bush. Only one left to do now.<\/p>

After that, we lifted a few leeks from the far side of the allotment. The ground is very wet after all the recent rain, and we\u2019ll need a good dry spell before any spring planting can begin.<\/p>

The leeks suffered last summer and are quite thin, but still perfectly usable. We picked the best row, took them home untrimmed, and cleaned them up there.<\/p>

Sue also found a Brussels sprout stalk that looked promising, but it was full of tiny aphids, so it went straight on the compost heap.<\/p>

Not perfect, but a productive session\u2014hazel coppiced, stakes sorted, and a few leeks lifted.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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11 February 2026<\/h3>

Flooding – An afternoon’s walk at Nostell Priory<\/h3>

Lately the weather\u2019s been wet and miserable, but Monday was unexpectedly mild, so we decided to take Ruby out for a long walk at Nostell Priory. We knew from previous visits it would probably be muddy \u2014 especially after all the rain. And with Ruby due for a shower before her grooming appointment, we thought\u2026 why not? Right from the start, the signs were there. Water was pouring over the waterfalls, and the winter lakes were bigger than I can ever remember seeing them. Still, we went for the full walk \u2014 including a path we\u2019d been avoiding because we knew it would be muddy. What I didn\u2019t expect\u2026 was for it to be partially flooded as well. So enjoy the rest of the video as we dodge puddles, tackle the mud, and try to keep our footing \u2014 with Ruby leading the way. I\u2019m honestly not sure who ended up with the muddiest feet.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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15 February 2026<\/h3>

Raining – Ruby gets wet paws at Rothwell Park & Temple Newsam<\/h3>

Well\u2026 we\u2019ve had even more rain. At this point, it\u2019s becoming a challenge to find anywhere that isn\u2019t one giant puddle. So today we headed over to Temple Newsam because at least the paths are surfaced. That said, there were actual streams of water running across them \u2014 not quite the dry stroll we had in mind! Still, wet paws are better than muddy paws\u2026 especially when you\u2019re trying to keep a certain someone clean before grooming. And if we can keep Ruby off the grassy bits, we\u2019re winning. Earlier in the week, we were at Springhead Park in Rothwell \u2014 which was lovely \u2014 but let\u2019s just say it\u2019s not exactly flip-flop weather. The allotment? I dread to think. It\u2019ll need weeks to dry out at this rate. And now the forecast is hinting at snow. Possibly tomorrow. Maybe more next week. Ruby will be absolutely chuffed. Mud, rain, snow\u2026 she\u2019s happy whatever the weather.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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20 February 2026<\/h3>

Sowing – very early for me – will I regret it?<\/h3>

It\u2019s the middle of February\u2026 and I\u2019ve started sowing seeds. Now, that\u2019s not something I normally do. I\u2019m usually more of a mid-March \u2014 even early April \u2014 kind of sower. But recently I\u2019ve noticed more and more videos appearing on my timeline titled \u201cWhat I\u2019m sowing in February.\u201d I haven\u2019t actually watched any of them\u2026 but one greenhouse thumbnail caught my eye. It looked like mine might look in early May \u2014 not mid-February.<\/p>

And it got me thinking. There\u2019s no doubt I can sow seeds now, place them under the indoor grow light, and they\u2019ll germinate quickly enough. The real challenge is what happens once those seedlings outgrow the light. I certainly can\u2019t move them into the greenhouse yet \u2014 we\u2019re almost guaranteed to see temperatures drop below zero again before the end of March.<\/p>

So, after a bit of thought, I decided to start cautiously. I\u2019ve sown a couple of chilli varieties \u2014 Buena Mulata and Midas. Chillies are usually quite slow growing, so they should be happy staying under the grow light for a good while. I\u2019ve only sown a few seeds of each, keeping the rest back for later in the season \u2014 just in case. But having the grow light running for just one tray seemed a bit of a waste\u2026 so I decided to sow a few more things.<\/p>

This year I\u2019m trying a couple of new red onion varieties \u2014 Mammoth Red and North Holland Blood Red. I\u2019m fairly confident they\u2019ll cope with the cooler greenhouse temperatures once they\u2019re established. I\u2019ve also sown some early cauliflower \u2014 the variety Snowball \u2014 and just a couple of tomato varieties, Crimson Crush and Alicante. With the tomatoes, I\u2019ll only keep one or two plants if they all germinate. And if they do go into the greenhouse, I may well find myself carrying them back into the warmth of the house each night. That\u2019s the plan, anyway\u2026 whether I stick to it is another matter.<\/p>

Over the weekend, we had a call to say another delivery of horse manure had arrived. So we headed down to the allotment to move it into a stockpile. I\u2019m quite tempted to grow a squash directly in the heap this summer. If I add a layer of soil on top and plant into that, I\u2019m hoping a couple of squash plants might find it very much to their liking.<\/p>

While I was shifting manure, Sue was busy pruning the rose bushes. And before we called it a day, we tidied up the old stalks from one of our cardoon plants. It was just good to get back down to the allotment.<\/p>

With all the recent rain, it\u2019s going to take a lot of drying out before any proper work can begin. The grass paths are really wet \u2014 you can hear the squelch of my boots as I walk along. Still, we managed a couple of hours at the plot without getting wet. And these days\u2026 that feels like quite an achievement.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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27 February 2026<\/h3>

All this for one last stamp! Visit to Lyme Park & Dunham Massey<\/h3>

As you may know, if you follow my channel, back in October we started taking part in the National Trust Pooch Passport scheme. The idea was simple \u2013 visit six different National Trust properties before the end of February and you\u2019d receive a little bag of dog treats. Visit twelve\u2026 and you\u2019d earn a special tag for your dog\u2019s collar. Well, with just one week left before the deadline, we\u2019d collected ten stamps. Just two more to go to earn Ruby her tag. After carefully studying the weather forecast \u2013 and making sure there was no snow predicted over the hills \u2013 we decided to go for broke and attempt two properties in one day: Lyme Park and Dunham Massey. That meant crossing the Pennines, including the infamous Woodhead Pass \u2013 one of the first roads to close at the slightest hint of snow. Sunday turned out bright, sunny, and surprisingly mild for late February. As we climbed up over the tops, the only real problem was the sunshine streaming straight into the camera lens. We don\u2019t usually visit at weekends \u2013 we prefer quieter midweek trips \u2013 but I wasn\u2019t quite prepared for just how busy it would be. Turning into Lyme Park, there was a queue of traffic, and once inside, parking spaces were few and far between. We didn\u2019t stop long. First job \u2013 stamp number eleven in the passport. Then a quick leg stretch for Ruby before heading back to the car. Next stop: Dunham Massey. This was somewhere we\u2019d particularly wanted to visit in winter because of its beautiful winter garden. Part of the journey took us close to Manchester Airport, and as we arrived, it was clear we weren\u2019t the only ones with the same idea. Cars were queuing just to get in. Just look at the number of cars in that car park as I drove round searching for a space. I was hoping to find somewhere quieter so we could enjoy our packed lunch before tackling the final stamp. After lunch, it was time for the all-important twelfth stamp\u2026 and Ruby\u2019s collar tag. But as you\u2019ll hear, things didn\u2019t quite go according to plan. After all that effort, we\u2019ll have to wait and see whether Ruby actually gets her tag. A little disappointing, to say the least. Still, not to be put off, we headed into the winter garden for a walk \u2013 and here are a few of the highlights for you to enjoy. For the journey home to West Yorkshire, we chose the M62 rather than heading back over Woodhead Pass. The M62 has a reputation for heavy traffic during the week, but thankfully, on a Sunday afternoon, it was much quieter. All in all, a long day, a lot of miles\u2026 and a determined effort to go for broke.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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February 2026 Video Diary 06 February 2026 Hazelling – coppicing our hazel and harvesting leeks Sunday finally gave us a half-decent day, so I took the chance to coppice one of our hazel trees. It\u2019s been about three years since this one was last cut, and we\u2019re still using some of the old poles as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_eb_attr":"","ocean_post_layout":"right-sidebar","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"ocs-susans-post-sidebar","ocean_second_sidebar":"0","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"0","ocean_custom_header_template":"0","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"0","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-41605","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ossettweather.com\/gardening2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/41605","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ossettweather.com\/gardening2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ossettweather.com\/gardening2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ossettweather.com\/gardening2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ossettweather.com\/gardening2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41605"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/ossettweather.com\/gardening2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/41605\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42079,"href":"https:\/\/ossettweather.com\/gardening2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/41605\/revisions\/42079"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ossettweather.com\/gardening2022\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41605"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}