February 2012

Early birds: time to start 2012’s gardening season!
February means it is time to start gardening again because spring is just a few short weeks away. This is a great month to purchase garden seeds and prepare your vegetable gardening plan. Cool-season vegetables like peas, lettuces, kale, and other greens can be planted at the end of the month because they are very cold tolerant. They can also be planted in cold frames to boost production during late winter.

Grass, trees, and shrubs
Any remaining perennial flowers and ornamental grasses can be cut back any time in February. I prefer to have them all cut back by the first of March so I can focus on other aspects of the garden as spring arrives.

If you need to renovate you lawn or you simply have some bare patches or want to thicken up your existing lawn, you can sow cool-season grasses starting the end of February. This gives them ample time to germinate and grow before the existing grass needs to be cut for the first time. 

Peak planting season for most trees and shrubs begins again mid-February, weather permitting, so as soon as the plants you need to plant become available go ahead and plant them. Then you will have a jump on the spring rush.

Turn, turn, turn that compost pile
Don’t forget to turn your compost pile. As the days get longer and the temperature increases you can turn you pile more frequently to speed decomposition. Allowing your compost pile to heat up sufficiently before turning helps to kill weed seeds, fungal diseases, and insects that may be harboring in the organic matter. On a cold day if you open the center of your compost pile you should see steam if it is heating up enough to kill the necessary pests.

In case you needed an excuse to shop…
February is also a good time to shop for patio containers and furniture that you may need. Shop early for the best selection or to find out what is arriving and when so you can plan to go back and get what works perfectly for you in your garden.