The days are longer, making it hard not to want to get up and garden. Rather than torture seeds by starting them too soon, divert that energy into some great chores you can do now. Fruit-tree pruning, or improving your compost set-up or declaring enough is enough and finally get a deer fence! Sorry but February and early March chores don’t involve too gardening, but will make your life that much easier when the time does come to get down in the dirt. Here are few chores you can do to scratch that gardening itch.
Now is a great time to cut down your ornamental grasses (never do it in the fall, the small birds like to use them for shelter).
Do not remove any leaf mulch yet as it is still protecting plants that are emerging from the soil, but if you see a plant that is emerging and the mulch is in the way by all means clean it up.
Now is a good time to dump out any pots that might have last year’s potting soil in them. Potting soil needs to be changed regularly (do it yearly in annual pots).
Soil becomes spent of nutrients with fast growing annuals and fertilizing can increase mineral salt deposits in the soil and kill the plants that you try to plant this year. Changing soil also cuts down on soil pathogens and disease. Luckily, potting soil can be added directly to your compost pile.
Sick of the deer? Maybe it’s time to plan for upgrades in deer control. Deer seem to get more bold (and less choosey) with each passing year, will this be the year you fence the yard? Here is a great link for lots ideas for a range of budgets.
Ever wonder about composting? Take a page out of Lee Reich’s playbook, who treats his compost like a pet! Now is a great time to gather carbon (like those ornamental grasses you cut) and nitrogen rich materials for your compost pile.
Seed shopping can commence! Or take inventory of what you already have. Get your seed starting equipment up to speed as well!
Bring Nature in with forced branches! Early blooming shrubs and trees like pussy willow, forsythia, apple and cherry are all good candidates, and branches can be cut once their buds have begun to swell. Gather branches and prepare for forcing by either splitting the bottom inch or two with a knife or pruner, or hammering the ends gently to split them and make for better water uptake. Put branches in a bucket of water in a shady place and drape with a plastic bag, until the buds swell and push off their woody coverings. You can then bring into a lighter spot and arrange.