The month of January was remarkably warm and the first half of February looks to continue this stretch of unseasonable weather. February is the month to finalize design considerations for the year to come and to finish ordering seeds, since many of the more popular varieties sell out quickly. On these abundant warmer days, make it a point to walk through your garden, enjoying its beauty and giving thought to those design changes. Reread your journals from last year, and focus upon how to improve those parts of the garden that performed poorly or on how to repeat last year’s success stories!
Things to do:
- Sharpen pruners and handsaws in preparation of the many pruning chores to come. If you own a saw with a tri-edge blade that is dull, they are notoriously difficult to sharpen and it is probably best to simple purchase a new blade.
- Clean and sharpen spades, as well as make certain wheelbarrows and other tools are in good shape for the season to come.
- Start to prune fruit trees, including apple, pear and quince as well as grapevines. For budded fruit trees, including Pawpaws (Asimina), make certain to remove root suckers, since they are actually the understock and are not the plant/fruit variety that you wanted.
- Prune winter damaged branches if your garden experienced some of those ice storms. When pruning back to a trunk, be certain not to remove the swelling (the branch collar) where the branch meets the trunk.
- Should it snow, knock the snow off of shrubs to reduce limb breakage.
- Begin to prune multi-stemmed shrubs, such as Forsythia, Lilac, Deutzia and Weigela. These plants flower best on younger stems necessitating the removal of 1 to several of the oldest canes in order to provide light for new canes. For Lilac, if the plant only has one or two large trunks and it is not suckering, it is most likely grafted onto privet understock. In these cases, it is safer not to prune the plant back harshly, since it will not sucker from the base.
- Bring Forsythia, Quince and Witch Hazel (Vernal Witch Hazel is pictured at right) branches into the house for forcing or to enjoy their flowers should they be in bloom.
- Sow seeds indoors for cool season crops such as Broccoli, Cabbage and Leeks and for warmer season crops or ornamentals, such as Begonias and Eggplants.
- Finish ordering seed for spring. Go through your stored seed and discard packages that are over 2 years old. Organize them by sowing time.
- Although most of the seeding out of vegetables and annuals begins in March, one can start to sow hot peppers in the greenhouse at the end of February.
- Check on the bulbs that you have brought into the garage for forcing. The Crocus and Snowdrops should be ready to bring inside for you to enjoy.
- Check on stored tubers and corms, such as Canna or Elephant Ears. Discard any that are showing signs of decay.
- With the days becoming longer, begin to fertilize indoor plants and water more frequently—but do not saturate, since that will encourage fungus gnats & root decay.
- Clean-up the greenhouse, heat mats or grow lights to make certain everything works and is clean.
- Cut back Lenten Rose (Hellebore xhybridus) foliage (pictured at right) and other early bloomers, such that the foliage does not distract from the floral display. Watch areas where early spring bulbs are planted for some early color (and to avoid stepping on them!)
- Cut back any matt-forming perennials, such as Nepeta (Catmint). Often rodents will hide beneath the foliage and either eat the crowns or create homes. Leave behind any fallen leaves or lightly mulch to protect the crowns from freezing temperatures.
- Do not remove any temporary winter mulch on Perennial beds, unless it is around those early spring blooming bulbs. Late February and early March can still be bitterly cold.
- Continue to apply anti-desiccant sprays to recently planted Rhododendrons, Hollies, Camellias or other evergreens that are in an exposed location on days with above freezing temperatures.
- Watch for deer predation and set up fencing if needed.
- When temperatures rise into the 40’s, get a head start on edging those bedlines and spreading mulch. Every day that you can complete a springtime chore will relieve some of the burden of the April panic to get everything done.