FEBRUARY GARDEN CALENDER

First half of February:

ü      Take advantage of early-bird discounts and order seeds through catalogs.

ü      Continue to leave mulch on perennials, as there are probably more cold days ahead.

ü      Prune ornamental plants such as oak, yew, pine, juniper and arborvitae to shape. Remove dead or unattractive parts of the tree such as branches and crotches that have crossed and sprouts or suckers growing at or near the base of the trunk. Also, remove branches broken because of winter wind and storms.

ü      Remove honeysuckle and other weedy vines from deciduous landscape plants.

ü      Watch for signs of growth from early spring bulbs, and when foliage is one inch high, remove mulch gradually.

ü      Don’t start garden plants indoors too early. Read the package for planting instructions.

Second half of February:

ü      Order shrubs for spring planting.

ü      Order perennial plants and bulbs, such as Shasta daisies, gladiolus and lilies to be used as cut flowers this summer.

ü      Prune grapevines while they are still dormant, and use the pruned pieces to make wreaths to decorate your home.

ü      Examine houseplants. Weak, thin or soft growth may be an indication of insufficient light or high temperatures.

ü      Plan vegetable, perennial and herb gardens on paper. Compare last year’s notes to make improvements or adjustments in the plot size.