Gardening Checklists for January and February
Plan and Prepare for Warmer Weather Gardening Days
Sep 19, 2009
Great looking, healthy garden areas don't just happen, they are planned. Colder weather, dormant months offer time for creating plans. What better time to read, study and plan the garden than sitting in front of a fireplace in January and February and daydreaming of playing in dirt.
Create a garden journal containing notes, ideas, and sketches of garden beds. This journal will be indispensable for laying out perfect flowerbeds. For established beds, this is a great time to pull out the plans from last year and evaluate what grew as expected and what plants need to be re-planned or replaced. For more information on garden planning, see The Gardener Becomes an Artist.
January - It's Time for Clean-up and Prep Work
- Walk around the yard, check garden beds for fallen limbs, and remove.
- Check on trellised plants and vines to ensure they are secure and that arbors or trellises aren’t in need of repairs.
- Organize tools, pots, emollients, and soil additives. If you delayed in having power tools serviced at the end of last season now is a good time to take care of those chores.
- Once your plans are complete, inventory the seeds and bulbs that are on hand. If more are needed begin placing orders for those seeds and bulbs. Check left over seeds from last season to ensure that they have been kept dry. These seeds can be planted this year, but plan for backup seeds in case the older seeds don’t offer high yield.
- Many trees can be pruned now, particularly non-spring blooming varieties. Avoid pruning early bloomers such as azaleas, lilacs, and rhododendrons. If unsure, check specific information on the plants before pruning and add notes to the garden notebook.
- Starting seeds indoors should begin six weeks prior to setting out seedlings. Depending on the area and climate where the beds are planted, either January or possibly February is a good month for setting up seed trays.
- Save ashes from fireplaces for use in mixing in soil for alkaline loving plants, such as Iris bulbs.
- Keep the bird feeders full during the cold winter months.
February Gardening Checklist
- If using raised beds in garden plans use warm weather spells to build bed frames.
- Spread mature, aged compost and manure on existing beds. These beds can also be covered in polythene sheets to improve soil warming for an early start.
- Determine where seed trays and flats will be started. Verify that the area can provide proper heat and light for seed growth. Check heat mats and lights for repairs or possible replacement.
- Prune grapes and fruit trees that aren’t prone to bleeding and seeping.
- Whether building or buying outdoor fixtures such as arbors, trellises, benches and other lawn items, use February as a shopping and ordering month.
- Spring blooming bulbs that were forgotten last season can be planted as the ground thaws. The bulbs should have been kept at temperatures below 35° for at least sixty days, storing in the vegetable bin of an old refrigerator is a good choice.
Ignoring the planning and prep work that can be completed in January and February can adversely delay planting in later months. When garden prep is put off until the weather warms, the outcome is often a rushed effort prone to weeds and pests. Taking the planning in monthly steps gives the gardener time to accomplish all the work without rush, ensuring a more through effort. See the article for Spring Schedules for work that should be planned for March and April calendars.
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