Wednesday, February 15, 2017

What to do in the Garden in February


Planning
    Select and store healthy scion wood for grafting fruit and nut trees. Wrap in damp cloth or peat moss and place in plastic bag. Store in cool place.


    Plan an herb bed. Choose a sunny spot and plant seeds or transplants once the danger of frost has passed (late-April or early-May).


    Plan to add herbaceous perennial flowers to your flowering landscape this spring. Ex:  sweet alyssum, yarrow, penstemon, and coneflower.



Maintenance and Clean Up
    Make a cold frame or hotbed to start early vegetables or flowers.


    Cut and lightly incorporate cover crops or other organic matter into soil.


    Prune and train grapes; take cuttings.

  See this link for many helpful publications.
    Prune apple trees.  See this link for many helpful publications.
    Prune fruit trees.  See this link.
    Prune blueberries. Watch a video on blueberry pruning here.
    Prune deciduous summer-blooming shrubs and trees
    Prune and train trailing blackberries and black raspberries.


    Prune fall-bearing raspberries (in late-February or early-March).



Planting/Propagation
    Plant windowsill container gardens of carrots, lettuce, or parsley.


    Good time to plant fruit trees and deciduous shrubs. Replace varieties of ornamental plants that are susceptible to disease with resistant cultivars or natives.
    Plant asparagus if the ground is warm enough.


    Plant seed flats of cole crops (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts), indoors or in a greenhouse.


    Where soil is dry enough and workable, plant garden peas and sweet peas.

Pest Monitoring and Management
    Monitor landscape plants for problems. Don't treat unless a problem is identified.


    Use delayed-dormant sprays of lime sulfur for fruit and deciduous trees and shrubs.


    Elm leaf beetles and box-elder bugs are emerging from hibernation and may be seen indoors. They are not harmful, but can be a nuisance. Remove them with a vacuum or broom and dustpan.