February

Flowers & Ornamental Grasses

Flowers & Ornamental Grasses

• Start flowers from seeds indoors. Follow packet directions for planting times. Use clean containers and sterile seed starting mix.
• Create a seeding chart for recording plant names, starting dates and other important information. 
• Fertilize seedlings once they begin to grow.  Use a diluted solution of a complete water-soluble fertilizer every other week.
• Check seedlings for sudden wilting and collapsed stems caused by damping off disease. 
• Review garden bed designs to make sure all parts of the garden can be reached for maintenance chores. Plan on adding steppers or walkways in large garden beds for easier access.
• Watch for and manage frost heaving in the garden caused by freezing and thawing of the soil throughout the winter.
• Southern gardeners can fertilize established spring flowering bulbs with a low nitrogen, slow release fertilizer as the foliage emerges.
• Order summer flowering bulbs now for the greatest selection.
• Start cannas, dahlia, tuberous begonias and other tender bulbs indoors for earlier and summer long flowering in containers and the garden. Northern gardeners should wait until the end of the month through mid-March.
• Southern gardeners can sow seeds of cool season annuals like larkspur and California and Iceland poppies outdoors when the soil is workable.
• Southern gardeners can plant cool season annuals such as sweet William, pinks, calendulas, snapdragons and pansies as soon as they are available in the garden center.
• Those with milder winters can dig and divide overgrown and crowded summer and fall blooming perennials as new growth emerges. 
• As winter weather subsides southern gardeners can cut ornamental grasses back to 4 to 6 inches before growth begins. Bind top growth of larger grasses with twine to make pruning and removal easier.
• Monitor plants for animal damage throughout the winter.  Make sure fencing is secure and replenish repellents as needed. Use a variety of tactics for the greatest success.

Fruits, Vegetables & Herbs

Fruits, Vegetables & Herbs

• Make a list of herbs you use for cooking, crafts and gifts.  Plan to grow a few of your favorites in this year’s garden.
• Create a seeding chart for recording plant names, starting dates and other important information. 
• Start vegetable plants from seeds indoors. Follow packet directions for planting times. Use clean containers and sterile seed starting mix.
• Fertilize seedlings once they begin to grow.  Use a dilute solution of a complete water-soluble fertilizer every other week.
• Check seedlings for sudden wilting and collapsed stems caused by damping off disease.
• Add a little zip and nutrition to your winter meals with homegrown microgreens.
• Start thinning and pruning raspberry plantings as the snow begins to recede and before growth begins.
• Those gardening in milder climates can start cleaning the garden as weather permits. Check and repair animal damage, remove plant debris and cut back grasses and perennials as needed.
• Continue to monitor plants for animal damage throughout the winter.

Groundcovers & Vines

Groundcovers & Vines

• Continue to monitor your landscape for signs of rabbit, vole and deer damage.  Adjust protective fencing, reapply repellents and alternate scare tactics as needed,
• Watch for and manage frost heaving in the garden caused by freezing and thawing of the soil throughout the winter.
• Monitor the health of tropical vines overwintering indoors. Make any needed changes in their care.
• Purchase or build supports for new or existing vines as needed.
• Southern gardeners can begin pruning overgrown summer-flowering vines.
• Dig, divide or prune liriope back to 3 to 4 inches above the soil surface if gardening in the south.

Indoor & Holiday Plants

Indoor & Holiday Plants

• Continue removing forced bulbs out of cold storage. Place in a cool location and allow several weeks for the bulbs to sprout and bloom.
• Once forced bulbs are done flowering you can grow them on like houseplants before placing in the garden or add them to the compost pile.
• Remove the flower stem on your amaryllis once the blossoms fade. Grow it like your other houseplants if you plan on forcing it to rebloom.
• Clip a few branches from spring-flowering trees and shrubs such as crabapples, serviceberry, spicebush, forsythia and pussy willows to force for indoor bloom.
• Finish pruning tropical hibiscus overwintered indoors to encourage summer bloom outdoors. Start fertilizing with a flowering plant food once new growth begins.
• Transplant potbound houseplants into a container with drainage holes that is one size larger than the current pot.
• Check houseplants for salt buildup.  This appears as a crusty, white substance on the soil surface or as white stain rings on clay pots.
• Watch for mealybugs that look like little pieces of cotton in the leaf joints and stems of a variety of houseplants.
• Leaf spot diseases can attack houseplants, especially those that have been overwatered.  Remove infected leaves and adjust care to correct the problem.

Lawns

Lawns

• Beat the rush and take your lawn mower or other outdoor garden equipment in for a tune and repairs as needed.
• Continue to shovel snow first and then use plant-friendly deicing salt only as needed. 
• Make a note of areas where water, snow or ice collects. Plan on correcting the problem by amending the soil and adjusting the grade.

Trees, Shrubs & Roses

Trees, Shrubs & Roses

• Check, clean and sharpen hand pruners.  Replace any damaged or old blades that can no longer be sharpened.  
• Remove any hazardous and winter-damaged stems and branches.  Wait for the worst of the winter weather to pass before doing major pruning to trees and shrubs.
• Consider hiring a certified arborist to manage pruning, especially for larger trees.
• Reduce the risk of spreading disease by disinfecting pruning tools between cuts with a one-part bleach and nine parts water or 70% alcohol solution. The longer the tools remain in the solution the better disease control you’ll achieve.
• Remove and destroy tent caterpillars, gypsy and tussock moth egg masses, black knot and other cankers. 
• Check mugo pines for pine needle scale that looks like flecks of white paint on the needles. 
• Check dogwoods for signs of golden canker.  Portions of infected twigs turn gold and die. 
• Late winter through early spring is a good time to transplant trees and shrubs. Start planting when the ground thaws and the soil is moist. Northern gardeners will be waiting a month or more.
• Southern gardeners can plant bare-root trees and shrubs as soon as the soil can be worked and when the plants are still dormant.
• Plant container and balled-and-burlapped plants whenever they are available and the soil can be worked. It will be one or two months for those in colder regions.
• Water new plantings thoroughly and often enough to keep the soil around the roots slightly moist.
• Monitor plants for animal damage throughout the winter.  Make sure fencing is secure and replenish repellents as needed. Use a variety of tactics for the greatest success.