Last updated on February 2nd, 2020
FEBRUARY brings Valentine’s Day, boxes of chocolate, and a ton of fun gardening jobs. Of course, winter-sowing continues outdoors no matter the weather. Then there are houseplants to tend, old seeds to test, and dormant branches to force into glorious indoor bloom.
Now, because it’s impossible to work on an empty stomach, I’ve prepared an energizing batch of French Cream Puffs for you. Here’s the recipe.
Winter-Sowing: If you haven’t already sown your perennials outdoors in milk jugs or other containers, you’d better get hopping. Keep in mind that certain seeds require freezes and thaws, or “stratification,” in order to germinate. New to this nifty method of seed-sowing? Check out Winter-Sowing 101.
Seeds: Order these from catalogs now, especially if you have specific colors or varieties in mind. I learned the hard way that choice varieties often sell-out by March. My favorite seed-sellers.
Seed-Testing. Got left-over seeds from last year? Or the year before that? Make sure they are viable before you plant them. My easy seed-testing guide.
Flowering Branches: Need colorful bouquets for the house? Then do what I do, and clip the branches of spring-flowering trees and shrubs. Witch hazel, crabapple, and forsythia will all bloom in the light your windows can provide. I force the branches this way.
Map Out the Kitchen Garden. Before spring and utter chaos arrive, determine which veggies you’ll plant, and where. I rotate the crops in my Kitchen Garden each year, in order to thwart certain pests and diseases.
Save Your Wood Ashes. If you use fireplaces to heat your home — I do — your wood ashes will provide a valuable soil amendment called Potash. I’m convinced that regular ash-applications are the reason my lilacs and peonies bloom so well each spring. More details about this natural soil-sweetener.
Screening. Before trees leaf out, take a good, long look at your property. Are there any eye-sores you’d like to screen out? Now is the time to notice which evergreen trees or shrubs can frame your property, and transform it into the private sanctuary it ought to be. I used Thuja ‘Green Giant’ to make my neighbors disappear.
Houseplants need attention, too:
African Violets. Now is a great time to propagate this beautiful Saintpaulia ionantha. A single leaf potted in February will give you at least 8 clones of blooming-size by October. Details and pictures.
Amaryllis. Cut away the faded flowering stem if your new plant has bloomed. Continue to tend it in the window. Feeding goes on until late in August. Your older plant might be ready to emerge from the cool, dark cellar now; check the bulb for a green tip. And by sure to read my amaryllis growing-guide.
Bulbs. Bring the remaining hardy bulbs you are forcing out of cold storage, and give them a position in warmth and light. If you provide food and water after flowers fade, your bulbs can have a fine future in the garden outdoors.
Freesia. This is the big month for colorful, fragrant freesia. Water the bulbs daily, and be sure to visit my freesia forcing-guide.
Geraniums (Pelargoniums). Those you’ve grown from September cuttings are probably setting bud now. I pamper mine with Jack’s Classic Blossom Booster (10-30-20), at the rate of one 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of room-temperature water. How I prepare my geraniums for winter-bloom.
Petunias. If located in a window garden that receives direct sun, overwintered petunias will bloom with utter exuberance now. Provide food and water freely. How I propagate petunias for winter-bloom.
Was this list of chores helpful to you in some teeny-tiny way? Talk to me in the comments field below.
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Beverly, zone 6, eastern PA says
I always feel blessed when your Sunday emails “light up” my Inbox.
Thank you Kevin!!!
Kevin Lee Jacobs says
Hi Beverly – Thanks for reading!
Mary, from NJ says
My geraniums are blooming beautifully! Different shades of pink and a few whites. Some purple petunias are blooming, but others have been wilting and don’t look like they will survive. Can new cutting be started for Spring?
Looking forward to your kitchen redo. We are planning to update our 1925 Sears home kitchen. It’s small, about 10′ x 12′, with 4 doorways and a chimney jutting into one wall! A challenge for sure!
Congrats on the new puppy! A very lucky dog.
Glenda....Canada says
Always a Sunday delight to find your latest email! Thank you Kevin!
Paulette says
Such great ideas, all I need is the energy. I enjoy your videos.
Patty r says
Beautiful!
And Avery’s video. !!
Cats? Can you include some cute pics of your cats? Or a video?. Thanks.
Megan Calhoun says
I would like to add to your plant screening tips to please be considerate of your neighbors. For example, in what direction will the shade fall and how far will the shade cover during different seasons of the year.
As you might gather, I’m an unlucky neighbor! Mine planted Thuja trees 7-8 years ago on his side of the southern fence of my property. I’ve lost my apple tree, my pear tree, my cherry trees, my roses, my strawberries, and last year I finally had to give up on having living grass and put in artificial.
His trees are @ 25 feet tall now, in an L-shape along his south and west fence line. My yard is now in shade from mid morning until early afternoon. It used to be a sunny and Mediterranean climate; now I’m totally shady NW a good part of the year until the sun gets high enough, which after the shade treatment is too hot and sunny for the plants to endure.
Barbara says
Thanks for all the gardening tips..I too so look forward to your weekly visit..Think Spring!!
Michelle says
I live in Zone 6, about 8-10 miles North of Boston. I planted tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, muscari, Alliums in the fall. I have areas where I tried to build up with stone walls and added soil but time became a factor so I did the best I could to get better soil depth for my bulbs. We have been having unseasonably warm weather and tomorrow a Nor’easter is dropping about 6 plus inches of snow. It’s current around or slightly above the freezing/melting point. I have mid-spring tulips, and a few late spring tulips coming up. Along with some muscari. Previously, I had about 5 muscari bulbs and 2 daffodils come up when we had a week of unusually record highs, over 70F for a couple of days then in the 50-60F. I took them inside and put them under my little grow light. Seem to be doing ok. Staring to bud. I do not know what I should do with the tulips. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I’m a newbie to gardening and have never dealt with tulips before…
If I take them inside can they be placed outside after the weather warms? I understand you have to harden off flowers grown inside but have never done it before.