February Garden Checklist
January is about to draw to a close, which means it's time to talk turkey...I mean, February. This shortest month of the year will hopefully bring about the end of the coldest winter weather for most of us, and it's time to start laying ground in the garden to get ready for spring now that your
Posted — UpdatedThe dormant season is ending, so you can start pruning and shaping trees and shrubs. Don't do this if you live in a northern region where it's much colder, or if the plants in question set their buds during the fall (or are doing so earlier). If you prune plants that have already set buds, they won't bloom! (Because you cut most of the buds off and stressed the tree.)
While you're pruning, look for branches that snapped or bent under heavy snow, and remove them. Also keep an eye out for plants that may have "heaved" as a result of freeze-thaw cycles. When plants heave, their rootballs lift partially out of the ground, exposing them to the weather and depriving them of nutrients. Tamp them back down and mulch them to protect them.
Deciduous trees, shrubs, and bareroot plantings can be transplanted about now, if the weather is favorable. If your forecast is still waffling, wait -- you don't want to shock plants with cold. You can also plant berries and hardy annuals or perennials.