February Garden Chores

February is all about prepping for spring.  Now is the time to finalize your garden plans.

If you haven’t had your soil tested in the last 3-5 years, stop by the VCE offices to pick up the soil test kit.

Flower Beds, Trees and Shrubs

  • Temperatures can drop to freezing this month; annuals that can take the chill include pansies, viola, and dianthus.
  • Clean your annual and perennial flower beds. Add compost to the soil and add more mulch to the beds.
  • Bulbs can still be planted. Fertilize, water well, and apply mulch for protection.
  • Continue to deadhead flowers, such as pansies
  • Cut back ornamental grasses before spring growth.
  • Divide and replant crowded perennials after they emerge.
  • Fertilizer may be applied in early spring about three or four weeks before active growth begins. On light, sandy soils, it is best to delay application until early spring. When trees are grown in a lawn area, delay fertilizing the lawn until after trees are dormant to avoid late-summer growth on the trees.  Tree Fruit in the Home Garden   https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-841/426-841.html
  • Continue planting dormant fruit trees.
  • Be sure to rake around and remove old fruits and leaves from under the fruit trees. This will reduce the potential for brown rot.
  • Finish planting shrubs and trees. Fertilize as indicated by soil tests
  • Prune:
    • Dormant trees – avoid pruning citrus until the spring.
    • Shrubs – wait to prune spring-flowering shrubs until after they bloom.
    • Roses – remove damaged canes, then fertilize and re- apply mulch for protection.

Kitchen Garden

  • Plant cold hardy vegetables as soon as soil can be worked, when temperatures are more toward 400 F regularly.  Consider crops such as lettuce, cabbage, collards, onion sets, brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, spinach, kale, mustard greens, radishes, turnips, peas, asparagus, and beets. https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/content/dam/pubs_ext_vt_edu/426/426-422/SPES-249.pdf
  • Plant Irish potatoes now! Plant 3 inches deep.
  • Harden off ready brassica seedlings outdoors in a cold frame.
  • Replenish mulch on strawberries.
  • Start your indoor seed plantings of tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cauliflower, and herbs.
  • Divide and transplant perennial herbs.

Lawn

  • Consider servicing your lawn mower in February, including sharpening the blades if you didn’t do that in the fall

Weeds

  • Put down mulch across all garden beds to control weeds.

Other tips

  • You can fertilize your houseplants with a water-soluble fertilizer when they show new growth.
  • Give your tools a good cleaning, sharpening, and disinfecting
  • Don’t forget to turn your compost piles.
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