February

Landscaping Tips for the Month of February

Planning:

• Continue to use garden notes, photos and sketches to assess areas which need plants
• Finish ordering seeds
• Continue to order plants from nursery catalogues for later delivery

Chores and Maintenance:

• Check on winter plant protection; add mulch and adjust plant stakes as necessary
• Continue to inspect ornamental trees and shrubs for scale insects
• Use wood ashes from the fireplace as a good source of potash
• Avoid the use of salt to melt snow, as it is toxic to most plants. Use sawdust, sand or cat litter instead
• Check on dahlias, cannas and gladiolus bulbs for rotting and/or drying out
• Keep bird feeders filled throughout winter

Planting:

• Take cuttings of indoor plants now to use as bedding plants in the late spring; e.g. lantana, geranium, coleus, heliotrope, fuschia, begonia etc.
• Sow seeds of annuals which require a long growing season, e.g. lobelia, petunia, vinca, browallia, snapdragon, verbena, etc.

Pruning/Fertilizing:

• Continue to prune away storm-damaged branches promptly. This prevents tearing of the bark
• Prune forsythia, pussy willow, quince, etc. for forcing indoors
• Prune summer and fall blooming shrubs

Indoors:

• Continue to give houseplants increased humidity; mist often or place plants over a tray of moist pebbles
• On frigid nights continue to protect indoor plants from freezing; move them away from the glass or cover glass with thick newspaper or cardboard
• Continue to clean leaves of large and smooth leaved houseplants like dracaena, philodendron, ficus, etc.
• Inspect houseplants for insect pests. Remove pests by hand and spray with insecticidal soap if needed
• Clean clay pots by soaking overnight in a solution of 1 gallon water, 1 cup of vinegar and 1 cup bleach