Timely Hints

Your Gardening To-Do List For February 2012

Plant …

Cool season annual color such as Pansies, Snapdragons, and Dianthus.  Plant Perennials, Shrubs, and Trees, too!!  We have a great selection of the best and hardiest varieties of trees for our area.  From large shade trees to smaller sized ornamental trees … you can plant them now.  New arrivals fresh from our farm – include Chinese Pistache, Lacey Oak, and Shantung Maple. Now is the time to move or transplant dormant trees and shrubs. 

Prune ...

Finish dormant season pruning (major pruning) on trees and shrubs this month.  You may clean up your perennials to get ready for March’s spring weather.  Come to our Pruning Class on February 18th at 1pm, if you need guidance.  Remember prune with a purpose.  Only you can prevent “Crape Murder”! Prune Roses in mid-month. Prune groundcovers late in the month to tidy up. Wait till mid-March to prune on any freeze damage.

Fertilize …

Mid to Late February (around the 17th-28th) is time to fertilize your whole yard with Gardenville 7-2-2.  Lawns, beds, vegetable gardens, shrubs, and trees all will benefit. Download our article ‘How To Fertilize Your Tree’ from our website, or pick up a copy at the nursery.  We’ll demonstrate after the Pruning class on Feb. 18 at 1pm.

Apply Greensand now as well.  Greensand is a natural source of iron.  Our clay soils hold onto iron tightly, so I encourage you to apply Greensand in February and in September to provide plenty of iron for your plants, especially evergreens.  Hollies, Magnolias, Live Oaks, etc., these plants maintain green foliage through the winter and utilize more iron in their foliage to keep those leaves green in the winter.  Applying Greensand on an annual basis replaces the iron that gets depleted as these plants establish.
Continue to apply Bloodmeal on Pansies and other annual color every two weeks for eye-popping color.

Water …

Leave the sprinkler controller in the OFF position. If we don’t get a 1/2” of rain every two weeks, consider watering manually once every two weeks. A rain/freeze sensor installed on your sprinkler system will save $$$ over the year and most irrigators aren’t busy now so get one if you don’t have one.  Please continue to be responsible with your water use. I feel as if we’ll have another dry summer.

Pests …

Use All Seasons Dormant Oil to control scale on Crape Myrtles, Hollies, Live Oaks, and other plants.  Remember, the first step is to identify the pest(s), then use an appropriate control.

Weed Prevention …

Mid-February to late February is time to apply Corn Gluten Meal to inhibit weeds from developing from seed.  This is a preventative measure, so it won’t cure existing weeds, but it can prevent new ones from coming up.  [Pick up a copy of our information ‘Organic Gardening 101 and Calendar’ at the nursery or download it from our website.]

Other…

Rabbit deterrent – We have a great product in the nursery we have been using to stop rabbit damage on our plants. “Animal Stopper” is available in both as a granular or liquid product and has been keeping the rabbits at bay for us. The product is safe, organic and comes with satisfaction guaranteed. This product is working for us, so if you have a rabbit problem give it a try. It will work better than Mr. McGregor’s garden fence!