Garden Activities for February
February can be an unpredictable month with either cold or mild temperatures depending on the year. This year, temperatures have been warmer than usual and January was below average in rainfall. It is advisable to stick with your usual schedule when it comes to pruning and other maintenance. The warmer weather entices us to get out and start pruning the roses. However, if a cold snap happens, the new growth caused by early pruning will suffer, and you would have to do it all over again. So, patience is recommended, and keep abreast of the weather forecasts. There are still plenty of other chores to do –
- Shop for seeds.
- Prune fruit trees, deciduous trees, grapes and berries if needed. Later in the month, roses and some shrubs (summer flowering only) can be pruned.
- Prune roses at the end of the month (or a good rule of thumb is to prune when the forsythia blooms).
- Cut a few branches of winter-blooming shrubs (quince, forsythia, flowering cherry) and bring them inside to force into bloom. Let the entire branch sit in room temperature water overnight before re-cutting and placing into individual vases.
- Transplant deciduous trees or shrubs before new growth begins. Evergreens can wait until March or April.
- Plant trees, shrubs and roses if the ground is not frozen.
- Vegetable seeds like lettuce, mustard and spinach can be sown now as long as they are undercover. Cool-season starts such as arugula, cabbage, carrots, kale, leeks, lettuce, mustard, onions, and others should be transplanted into garden beds.
- Bait for slugs. Catching them early, before they reproduce and multiply, will help diminish populations.
- Clean and prepare cold frames, hoop houses and row covers for upcoming planting.
- Houseplants can be cut back if needed and leaves can be cleaned.
- Feed houseplants that are showing new growth.
- Sharpen and clean tools, tune up lawnmowers and power equipment.
