February 2013 Garden Tips

We’ll have to wait for the end-of-season totals, but it looks like this winter will have ample rainfall due to the heavy rains of last year. While this may ease the near-term water shortage issues, don’t allow it to change your focus from climate-appropriate plantings and design.

As tempting as it is to welcome any warmer days or sunshine as indications of spring, remember that wet, cold weather can continue – and has – through April. February is too early to plant warm weather annuals and vegetables in Sonoma County, no matter what the thermometer says on a warm day or what you see for sale in the nurseries. Instead, plant winter-blooming color such as cyclamen or pansies – you can plant into containers if the ground is too wet.

Finish pruning your roses – the rule of thumb here in Sonoma County is to have them pruned by Valentine’s Day. Fertilize at/during bud-break, which is just around the corner.

Also finish pruning summer-flowering or foliage trees as necessary. Deciduous trees are much easier to prune when leafless, as the branch structure is more clearly visible. Cut out all crossed branches and prune for shape.

Plant bare-root trees and shrubs.

When the beds dry out a bit, pull weeds while the ground is soft. Poa annua, the annoying annual bluegrass, hasn’t gone to seed yet and you will make next year’s gardening easier if you get it out before it does.

You’ll start to see snails making their presence known, either directly or by the holes that they leave in the leaves. Hand pick when you can – really dedicated types go out after dark armed with a flashlight to catch as many in the act as possible! The more you get before they lay eggs the fewer you’ll have later.

Clean and sharpen all of your garden tools. Buy a rasp or a stone for your favorite pruners and promise yourself that you will sharpen them regularly. Sharp pruners are easier on both the plants and your joints. A great place to store your hand tools year round is in a 5-gallon bucket of sand with some vegetable oil mixed in. Every time you push your small hand tools into the sand, they’ll get an effortless cleaning and lubricating job. Motor oil isn’t recommended, as it’s harsh on your hands and difficult to dispose of properly.

February afternoons are good time for washing out old pots and trays. You can put clay pots in your dishwasher, after first rinsing off the dirt and debris. The dishwasher will sterilize them and they’ll be ready for spring planting. Rub the pots with linseed oil after cleaning to bring them back to life!

As you plan your spring plantings, remember that color not only creates the mood in the garden, but it defines space and proportion. Select cool tones such as blues, pinks, and purples, for a sense of serenity. Warm tones like reds, oranges, and yellows create a sense of good cheer. Blue gives you the impression that the garden is distant while red makes the garden look closer than it really is.

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