The Gardener's To-Do List for February

 

You're probably getting the itch to get outside and begin gardening. For some of us, the time is now. For others, not so soon. February barely hints of spring. Swinburne described the month cleverly:

Wan February with weeping cheer,
Whose cold hand guides the youngling year
Down misty roads of mire and rime,
Before thy pale and fitful face
The shrill wind shifts the clouds apace
Through skies the morning scarce may climb.
Thine eyes are thick with heavy tears,
But lit with hopes that light the year's.

If, lit with hope, you must do something, here are a few gardening tasks for February organized by region.

Northeast States: Continue pruning dormant deciduous trees, shrubs, vines; but avoid removing spring flower buds. Continue removing snow from evergreens to avoid limb damage. Inspect indoor plants for disease and insects. Refill bird feeders often. Browse seed catalogs and nursery web sites. Order spring flowering bulbs, onion sets, strawberries, rhubarb and asparagus, if you haven’t already. Start cool season veggies and annuals indoors. Check bulbs and roots in cool storage; throw out rotten ones. Clean and oil garden tools. Organize your potting supplies.

Mid-Atlantic States: Continue pruning dormant deciduous trees, shrubs, vines; but avoid removing spring flower buds.  Maintain house plants, checking for disease and insects. Feed the birds. Browse seed catalogs and nursery web sites. Order spring flowering bulbs, onion sets, strawberries, rhubarb, and asparagus, if you haven’t already. Check bulbs and roots in cool storage; throw out rotten ones. Add mulch to planting beds, if needed. Plant bare-root trees and shrubs. Sow warm-season annuals and vegetables in cold frame. Prune fruit trees, shrubs and vines. Clean and oil garden tools. Take soil samples to your local Cooperative Extension Service for analysis.

Mid-South States: Continue pruning dormant deciduous trees, shrubs, vines.    Avoid removing spring-blooming flower buds. Spray dormant oil on dormant fruit trees, if you haven’t done so yet. Refill bird feeders often. Add mulch to planting beds, if needed. Take soil samples to your local Cooperative Extension Service for analysis. Adjust pH, if necessary. Sow warm-season annuals and vegetables in cold frame. Plant bare-root trees and shrubs. Clean and oil garden tools.

Lower South and Gulf States: Continue pruning dormant deciduous trees, shrubs, vines. Spray dormant oil on dormant fruit trees, if you haven’t done so yet.    Continue planting and transplanting broadleaf and evergreen trees and shrubs, perennials and ground covers. Continue to irrigate shrubs and trees as long as weather is above freezing. Fertilize trees and shrubs when dormant, if you haven't done it yet. Fertilize roses. Add mulch to planting beds, if needed. Take soil samples to your local Cooperative Extension Service for analysis. Adjust pH, if necessary.

Plains and Rocky Mountain States: Follow the same regimen as for Northeast States. In addition, Prepare your grow lights and seed-starting supplies. Take inventory of your garden tools, and buy more, if necessary.

Pacific Northwest States: Follow the same regimen as for Mid-Atlantic States. In addition, plant fruit trees, roses, and cool-season vegetable crops. Divide perennials like hosta, daylilies, such.

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