The Ornamental Garden in February

Although the weather is wintry outside, the days are getting noticeably longer, signaling the time to start gearing up in earnest for the spring gardening season.  In the meantime, lots of actions can be taken now to prepare for spring planting.   

Complete orders for new seed from catalogs and on-line resources.  Order early to improve the chances of getting the seeds you want. Once the seeds arrive, label the front side of each packet with the year so that, in the future, you can see at a quick glance how old any unused seeds are.

Inventory your seed-starting supplies to make sure you have ample quantities of cell packs, transplant pots, potting mix, trays, plant tags, fertilizer, etc.  Don’t forget to check the light bulbs in grow lights to make sure they are in good operating order.

To get a head start on this season’s garden, think about starting seeds indoors and plan accordingly.  Follow the recommendations printed on seed packages for how far in advance of the last frost date (which falls between April 15 – 25 on average) to start seeds indoors.  It’s important not to start them too soon.  Otherwise, the seedlings may be spindly and weak and will not transplant well.  Also, some seedlings that are started too early could grow too large for their containers and require re-potting before it is safe to plant them outside.  For more information on seed starting, check out this Garden Shed article on How to Start Your Garden Seeds.

If you have seeds left over from previous years, do a germination test to make sure they are still viable.  Viability often depends on the plant species, the quality of the seed, and the conditions under which the seeds have been stored. According to Johnny’s Selected Seeds Seed Storage Guide, zinnia seeds are viable for about 5 to 6 years, whereas phlox seeds are only viable for about 2 years. To test seeds for viability, moisten a paper towel and place about 10 seeds of the same variety on it.  Roll up the paper towel and put it in a plastic bag but don’t seal the bag.  Place the bag in a warm area.  Check the seeds daily and keep the paper towel damp but not soggy.  After several days or so, see how many seeds have sprouted.  If at least half of them did, then the rest may sprout as well.  If not, then it may be best to buy new seed.

This is the ideal time of year to prune most deciduous trees while they are dormant. Prune to remove dead, weak, diseased, or crossing branches. If you are a novice at pruning, see Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) Publication 430-456, A Guide to Successful Pruning: Pruning Deciduous Trees/VCE  and VCE Publication 430-457, Pruning Evergreen Trees.

This is also the ideal time to prune late spring or early summer-flowering shrubs such as Abelia, beautyberry, Buddleia, or Caryopteris.  Spring-blooming shrubs such as forsythia and flowering quince should not be pruned until after they finish flowering later in the spring.  Before making that first cut, see VCE Publication 430-462, Shrub Pruning Calendar, for basic guidance on when and how to prune selected shrubs.

Inspect stored tender bulbs, tubers, or corms periodically and lightly moisten them if they are shriveled. If any appear soft or diseased, discard them now.  Otherwise, keep checking them periodically until time to plant them in spring.

Check evergreen trees for drought stress caused by either frozen soil, which prevents the plant from taking up water, or from lack of rain or snow over the winter.  If water is needed (check the soil around the tree for dryness), wait until the outside temperature rises above 40°F and use a soaker hose to water the root zone.   If possible, do this early enough in the day to allow the water to soak in before the soil re-freezes.

Monitor trees and shrubs for deer, rabbit, or vole damage.  Look for scraped or gnawed bark.  Pull back mulch a couple of inches away from the trunk to discourage vole damage.

Cut back ornamental grasses before spring growth occurs.  If you wait until spring, you may damage the newly emerging grass blades.  An easy way to cut back large clumps of dormant grasses is to tie a bungee cord around the clump and use pruning shears or an electric hedge trimmer to cut back the foliage to a few inches above ground.  Try not to cut too close to the crown.  Otherwise, moisture may settle in the crown causing it to rot.

Look for emerging foliage of early blooming daffodils, snowdrops, hyacinths, and other spring bulbs. If daytime temperatures are above freezing, the foliage can tolerate short periods of frosty temperatures without harm.  If prolonged freezing weather is predicted, protect the foliage with frost covers, a layer of newspaper, light mulch or chopped leaves.

Carefully trim away old foliage from hellebores so that you don’t damage new emerging foliage and flower buds.

Arrange to have your lawnmower serviced now if you didn’t get around to it at the end of the last growing season. By taking care of this task during the dormant season, you can beat the crowds at the repair shop before warm weather arrives.

Avoid walking on ice or frost-covered lawns.  Foot traffic on frozen grass can damage the grass blades and compact the soil.

Keep tabs on the health and well-being of your houseplants. Inspect them for pests every time you water them.  Common pests include white flies, scale, fungus gnats, spider mites, and mealy bugs.   Treat as needed at the first sign of a problem.  The University of Minnesota extension publication on Managing insects on indoor plants/UMN offers sound advice on houseplant pests and includes photos of the most common ones.   Clemson Cooperative Extension publication HGIC 2252 Common Houseplant Insects is another useful source for advice.

This is a good time to start new houseplants from cuttings. Use a sharp knife to sever a 2” to 6” long cutting just below a node on a stem.  Remove all but the top 2 or 3 sets of leaves. Many cuttings may be rooted in water, but for more advice on this and other plant propagation methods, see VCE Publication No. 426-002, Propagation by Cuttings, Layering and Division.

As berries, seeds, and other natural food sources become scarcer in the landscape, continue providing supplemental food and fresh water for the birds and don’t forget to keep the feeders clean.  See these tips from the Audubon Society Three Easy But Important Ways to Keep Your Bird Feeder Disease-Free.  Also, join the annual Great Backyard Bird Count, which is a free, fun, and easy event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds over a four-day period later this month and reporting their sightings online.  For further information and to register for this event, see birdcount.org.

Invasive Watch:  Paradise Tree or Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is a dreaded nonnative invasive that threatens natural areas, agricultural fields, disturbed areas, and homeowner properties. For trees with trunks 4 to 6 inches in diameter, a basal bark treatment with an herbicide is effective from February 15 to April 15. See the Blue Ridge PRISM (Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management) Factsheet for information on how to identify and eradicate this invasive. The nonnative insect pest, Spotted Lanternfly, prefers, and may even require, Ailanthus altissima trees to complete its lifecycle.

February is a cold and wintry month, but Valentine’s Day, which traditionally occurs mid-month, provides welcome respite from the weather with its promises of candlelight, hearts, and flowers.  To keep those Valentine’s Day flowers – or any floral display – going strong, see this Garden Shed article on How to Keep Cut Flowers Fresh.

Feature Photo: Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis), Courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder

PMG Gardening Resources/Monthly Gardening Tips/February