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February 2021 Gardening Advice

submitted by Jennifer Fairfield, Garden Mill and Manchester Community & School Gardens

The weather people are still predicting above-normal temperatures and precipitation for this month. They were definitely right about the above-normal temperatures for January, but way off on the above-normal precipitation forecast – including the “big storm!” we were supposed to be getting over the weekend that turned out to be pretty much nothing, by Michigan standards. I am mostly happy with that (as I’m sure most people are!), because I sure don’t like shoveling lots of wet, heavy snow, and I really don’t like driving in it. However, a consistent layer of snow on the ground acts like an insulating blanket, which keeps the ground consistently cold, and that a good thing for our plants.
 
I am hoping that the weather gurus are equally off on their current predictions for our summer as well. They’re saying it going to be above-normally hot and wet through at least June – and I hate the heat more than I hate shoveling snow. Oh well – since there isn’t anything I can do about the weather, I’ll just have to deal with whatever comes our way. There is good news though for those of you who really hate winter – it officially half-way over as of tomorrow!

I’m optimistic that, since we haven’t had a great deal of winter weather, we will have an early spring. Of course, I said that last year, and it didn’t happen that way at all! But I can always hope, right?! (I am sure that if you look up the word “optimist” in the dictionary, one of the definitions will be “gardener.”)

 
While we’re waiting for spring, there are a number of things we can be doing this month.

Things to do indoors this month:

• Indoor activities that you can do for your garden now include cleaning and sharpening tools, cleaning out pots, starting a few plants, and planning.
• February is also a good time to repot your indoor plants – those that need it because they’re too big for their current pot, and those you’d just like to give a new pot. Do this between now and March, to give you something to do while you’re waiting to get outside to garden. When repotting plants that have outgrown their current home, the general recommendation is to not go up more than 2 inches in diameter and height from the pot the plants are currently in. There are a few reasons for this: most plants will stop growing for a time when repotted, while they work on putting out new roots, so giving them too much space means you slow down their growth for a while; lots of soil holds lot of water, making it really easy to over-water (and kill) your plant; a small plant in a huge pot looks silly.
• Check to see what garden seeds you may have left from last year (they will still be good to plant this year), and make a list of what you need for this year. Don’t wait to get your seeds this year! Like many others, we are already low or out of some varieties, and our vendors are telling us not to count on being able to get more any time soon, if at all. Lots of people jumped into gardening during the pandemic, and had so much fun with it last year, that they are doing it again this year. I think that a great thing, but it does put a lot of pressure on the growers/vendors and retailers to keep up, and there are just some things that can’t be sped up – like growing plants for seed.
• If you are starting your own rosemary from seed, do it now. Rosemary is extremely slow to get going, so needs to be started in early February in order to be at a size for transplanting out into your garden in spring. The same thing is true for perennials. Starting perennials from seed can be an inexpensive way to get a lot of plants, but many need a little more time to get to transplanting size. Most other plants don’t need to get started until sometime in March.

Things to do outdoors this month:

• This time of year is best for pruning many trees and shrubs because they are still dormant. Pruning at this time of year is generally done to encourage lots of new growth in the spring, but you can also prune to remove dead or damaged branches, to create better growing conditions for other plants in your landscape, or to make mowing or walking around your trees or shrubs easier. Don’t prune early spring-blooming trees and shrubs at this time of year, if you want to have maximum blossoms this spring. This includes forsythia, lilacs, azaleas, and dogwoods, among others.
• If you haven’t had the opportunity yet and you can get your hands on some mulch that isn’t frozen, add a layer of mulch to your perennials, shrubs, and trees now to help prevent frost heave. The sort of winter we are having provides the perfect conditions for frost heave. The repeated freezing and thawing of the soil causes the soil to expand and contract, which can force plant roots up, out of the soil, and can be very damaging to your plants. Mulch helps to keep the soil temperature consistent, helping to eliminate that problem. If you find plants in your gardens that have heaved out of the ground, you can carefully tamp them back down into the soil or add soil on top of the crown and roots that have come out, and then add a good layer of mulch on top. Newly-planted perennials, shrubs, and trees are most susceptible to frost heave, though some plants are more susceptible than others, including coral bells, Shasta daisy, and coreopsis.

For the birds:

• Continue feeding your birds. It may be a milder winter than last year, but it still hard living out there, and food sources are limited at this time of year. Besides, they are lots of fun to watch (my cats spend hours sitting in the windows watching them!). And, since February is National Bird Feeding Month, all bird seed is on sale at the Garden Mill, all month long.
• Also, consider providing a source of drinking water for the birds. When the temperatures go below freezing, a birdbath de-icer or heated bath makes getting water easier for thirsty birds.
  If you’re looking for something fun for the whole family to do this month, you can participate in the Great
• Backyard Bird Count. This year count takes place February 12th through the 15th, and is a fun way to help scientists understand global bird populations. Find out all about it, including how you can participate at birdcount.org.

by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and a founder of the Manchester Mirror.