February in the Garden
Fertilize trees, shrubs, and evergreens. If you use a dry fertilizers, water in thoroughly.
Prune all trees except your evergreens. Early spring-flowering shrubs can't be pruned until AFTER they have bloomed. If you can't wait a minute longer for some Spring, cut a few branches and bring them in the house for a forced blooming. Wait until warmer weather to prune your roses.
Start seeds for vegetables, summer annuals, perennials, and herbs. Use a good sterilized soil to start the seeds. You can mix and sterilize your own potting mix, but it is less work and mess to buy a bag.
Weather permitting, begin working the ground for your vegetable garden. Work in compost, well-rotten manure or other organic matter to enrich the soil.
Plant perennial vegetables like rhubarb, horseradish, and asparagus along the sides of your garden plot so they are not in the way of cultivation. Even better is to give them their own plot somewhere in the yard.
If you want to plant or transplant trees, shrubs, or berries, now is a good time--weather permitting.
Our snowiest and coldest months are February and March. Watch the forecasts and in case of hard frost or very cold weather, be ready to cover any plants that are starting to emerge.
For more detailed information on gardening and lawn care in your area, contact:
http://www.yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu or your county extension office
Iowa Master Gardener Program (Call us with your questions 10am to noon and 1-4:30pm, M-F--515-294-3108 or contact us via e-mail: hortline@iastate.edu)
Your local garden center
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