By Jennifer Fairfield, owner of the Garden Mill
So far, winter hasn’t been too bad in our little corner of the world – not too many bitterly cold days, not too much snow, and the occasional glimpse of the sun, to remind us that it’s still out there.
Of course, we still have a bit of winter to go, so no guarantees that we won’t still get a big dump of snow or an extended deep freeze, but so far, I’m not going to complain.
While it may be hard to think about gardening right now, now is actually a great time to at least start thinking about it. February is a time for planning what you want to grow this year, gathering your seeds and supplies for the new season, and maybe even starting some plants for your garden – indoors, of course. On days when it’s not totally bitter cold, there are things to do outside, as well.
Outdoors:
February is generally the best time to prune many trees and shrubs, as well as roses. You want to get this task done while the plants are still dormant, so don’t let it go too late in the season. The USDA Forest Service has a great pamphlet with all kinds of information on pruning available online.
It is especially important to prune oak trees while they are dormant, as they are extremely susceptible to oak wilt if pruned in warmer months. Other trees that do best when pruned now include those that bloom in June or later, as they form buds on new growth. For trees and shrubs that generally bloom before June, wait until just after they have bloomed to prune them. Pruning them now will reduce the number of flowers produced this spring, as their flowers bloom from last year’s growth.
Natural sources of food for birds are pretty scarce at this time of year, which is why February was designated National Bird Feeding Month almost 30 years ago. Keeping feeders full when it’s cold and snowy out can help birds use less of their energy looking for food, reserving that energy for keeping warm.
February is also when the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) happens. This annual event, taking place Feb.17 through the 20 this year, is a great family-friendly activity that helps to connect people of all ages to the natural world around them, and can be done either outdoors or from the comfort of your living room (or any other room with a view to the outdoors). Join the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the National Audubon Society, and Birds Canada for an online learning session to find out more about bird identification and have your questions answered about the GBBC on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 1 pm. Details are available here.
When the temperatures drop below freezing, fresh water is hard to come by outdoors. If at all possible, keep bird baths full and thawed, so that your birds have a good supply of fresh drinking water. A heated birdbath or a deicer in your existing birdbath can make that possible, which can make a huge difference for the birds.
Indoors:
Start getting things ready for the gardening season this month. Begin by checking to see what seeds you have leftover from last year (or prior years). Many seeds are good for a number of years – the germination rate tends to reduce the longer you’ve had the seeds, but you will likely still get enough of them to sprout to make it worth holding on to seeds from one year to the next.
Once you’ve figured out what you have, figure out what you need and go get it. There are few things that make me happier in February than going through seed racks. You can also find our seeds at our website. Renee’s Seeds are in, and seeds from our local vendors, Ann Arbor Seed Company and Nature & Nurture, will be in soon.
February is also a good time to get everything else you need for seed-starting, if you are going to start plants indoors this year. Your checklist should include seed starting mix, pots, working lights, heating mats, and fertilizers. If you’re re-using pots from last year, be sure to disinfect them first, using a 1 to 9 ratio of bleach to hot water and a wire brush.
Though most flower, vegetable, and herb plants don’t get started indoors until March or later, rosemary is one plant you should start now, since it takes quite a while to germinate and then grow to a suitable size for transplanting outside. Parsley, celery, leek, and onion seeds can also be started indoors later this month.
