January, January, January….rain! wind! SNOW! freezing temperatures, sunshine, and a howling Wolf moon! A month that kept on giving. A month of records to start a new decade.
What does February hold? How will Mr. Groundhog be able to compete?
It’s time to make your garden plan. Are there empty spaces? Find unique or native plants to fill the gaps. Is it time for a new location for vegetables? What about a shade tree? a pond? a hedge? Now is the time to plan, map, transplant and plant new.
The Flower of the Year chosen by Communities in Bloom is the Blue Salvia. Join us by planning a bed for your garden.
February is chock a block full of days to celebrate starting with Groundhog Day, followed by Carrot Cake Day, Weatherperson’s Day, Read in the Bathtub Day, Valentine’s Day, Family Day, AND Leap Day. Who knew?
2020 looks like a promising year.
We Dig – Do It Now Tips
• Start hoeing and pulling weeds to avoid overload later. The soggy ground makes it easier.
• Shrubs, roses and deciduous trees can be transplanted as soon as the soil is workable.
• Cut away any broken branches from winter storms as close to the main branch as possible.
• Create new rock gardens away from trees and shrubs.
• Prune back lateral and side branches of wisteria to within 2-3 buds.
• Bring dahlias into the warmth; divide and expose new shoots to daylight.
• Prune and fertilize fruit trees before blossom time. All pruning of trees and vines must be done before the sap runs.
• Sow hardy annual seeds, such as sweet peas, and California poppy where they are to bloom as soon as weather breaks.
• Plant broad beans and peas mid-month and peas and radish late February.
• Plan to grow a new vegetable that you have never grown before. Dwarf varieties use less space and produce more food per square foot.
• Divide Pampas grass and red hot poker plants.
• Check stored bulbs, tubers and corms and discard any soft or diseased.
• Moss likes cold wet mild winters. Kill it now.
• Clean and sharpen tools.
• Turn compost.
Did you know…
…the flower of the month is the Violet? meaning modesty, virtue and faithfulness.
…fertilizing, dormant spraying and pruning head the list of February projects?
…that half of North America’s coastal rain forest is found in British Columbia?
…that slugs start feasting as soon as shoots emerge? That to deter these pests, scatter ground egg shells around the shoots?
Pick of the Month - Daphne Odora (also known as spurge laurel or spurge olive)
Shiny green evergreen leaves, blooming Feb.-March with showy, very fragrant pink flowers. Best grown in well-drained fertile soil in part shade in protected area away from wind. Often planted near a doorway where the scent can be enjoyed. Its berries are popular with birds but poisonous to humans.
AND … Gardening is medicine that does not need a prescription and overdosing is encouraged.
Communities in Bloom meets next in March.
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