🌱 How to Use Compost in February in Scotland

February might feel too early to be out in the garden, but it’s actually one of the most useful months for putting compost to work. While plants are still mostly dormant, your soil is alive beneath the surface and this is the perfect time to feed and protect it.

Using compost now sets you up for healthier beds, stronger plants, and better harvests come spring.

Here are some practical ways to use compost in a Scottish garden this month.

Protect and Improve Bare Soil

Winter rain can leach nutrients and compact soil, especially in Scotland’s wetter regions. Spreading a thick layer of compost (about 2–5 cm) over empty beds acts like a protective mulch.

It helps:

• Reduce nutrient loss

• Improve soil structure

• Encourage worms and microbes

• Prevent erosion from heavy rain

There’s no need to dig it in — let worms do the work naturally.

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Prepare Vegetable Beds for Spring

If you’re planning potatoes, brassicas, or early sowings, now is the time to prep your beds.

Spread compost over the surface and lightly fork it into the top layer on dry days. By March or April, the nutrients will have started breaking down and will be ready for young plants.

This is especially helpful for:

• Potato beds

• Onion and garlic patches

• Brassica beds (cabbage, kale, broccoli)

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Mulch Around Fruit Bushes and Trees

Fruit plants benefit hugely from winter feeding. Spread compost around the base of:

• Apple and pear trees

• Gooseberries

• Raspberries

• Currants

Keep it a few centimeters away from the trunk to prevent rot. This slow-release feed supports strong growth when spring arrives.

Refresh Raised Beds and Containers

Raised beds and pots lose nutrients faster because of drainage and exposure. Top them up with compost now to replenish fertility.

Mix compost into:

• Greenhouse beds

• Polytunnel soil

• Large containers

This gives early crops like salads and carrots a head start.

Start Seed Compost for Indoor Sowing

February is seed-starting season for many gardeners. If you make your own compost, sift some finely to create a light seed-starting mix.

Combine with a little sand or coir for drainage. Perfect for:

• Tomatoes

• Chillies

• Leeks

• Early brassicas

Add to the Compost Heap

Winter heaps slow down, but they shouldn’t stop. Keep adding:

• Kitchen scraps

• Cardboard

• Shredded paper

• Old bedding plants

Turning the heap on a mild day adds oxygen and helps decomposition pick up again.

Feed the Soil Life

Perhaps most importantly, compost in February feeds soil life. Even when plants aren’t growing, microbes, fungi, and worms are active whenever the ground isn’t frozen. Healthy soil life now means better nutrient availability later.

Think of February composting as investing in your spring garden.

Quick Tips for February Compost Use

• Avoid working frozen or waterlogged soil

• Mulch rather than dig where possible

• Use well-rotted compost (unfinished compost can steal nitrogen)

• Apply on dry days to prevent compaction