Get Out!

February 2018

PICKAWAY TO GARDEN

 

Get Out!

By Paul Hang

 

Get out, not the horror thriller movie, and not a command but something I tell myself. Call it a resolution if you will but I intend to get out more and do some gardening this winter and early spring. I figure that every hour I get my yard and garden ready for the growing season the less of a crunch I will feel come warmer weather. Keeping in mind the old adage “There is no bad weather just bad clothing,” when the weather allows I vow to get some things done that will make spring more enjoyable.

 

In addition to the fresh air and exercise it will provide, doing a little on some days can add up. It seems like a good idea. Now is also a good time to wander about the yard and appreciate the beauty and interest we often overlook. Exfoliating bark, the structure of trees and shrubs, dried seed heads, abandoned nests now exposed, subtle color changes, these are just some of the rewards. Hardscape features such as walls, gates, pergolas, fences and trellises are exposed and repairs can be addressed.

 

Probably the best chore to accomplish this time of year is pruning of shrubs and trees. (See the section on pruning below.) I won’t be “cleaning up” perennial stems and leaves; I’ll leave them, with their overwintering wildlife, larvae and eggs, until warm weather arrives.

 

Other things that can be accomplished are taking notes of things to do, taking pictures, edging beds, preparing new beds, picking up sticks and debris, OK that’s enough. You get the idea. Anyway, that is my intention, to get out more. But for now it looks pretty muddy out there. Maybe I’ll wait until it dries out a bit.

 

February is a good time to think about gardening. Planning and perusing seed catalogs, reading books on gardening are all activities we can do that do not depend on the weather. To garden knowingly use the internet. Be skeptical of how-to videos on social media such as You Tube and Facebook. Some are based on anecdotal information, some are hard to watch and some are just giving wrong advice. The best sources to consult are at sites that end in .edu. The Extension Services of state universities of Ohio and surrounding states are the best.

 

Towards the end of the month look for signs of the coming spring, skunk cabbage sprouting, mourning cloak butterflies, birds sing more, return of male red-winged black birds. When you spot pallets of bagged mulch at gas stations you know spring is coming.

 

Things to do in the garden:

 

Not much. Check perennials for heaving up out of the ground. Press them down gently with your foot. Send in your seed orders. Will our results ever match those of the glossy color pictures? When you make out your seed and plant orders consider planting more native and heirloom plants and vegetables. Native plants are plants that evolved here and are adapted to our conditions, diseases and native pests. While you’re at it try googling the name of a flower you’re thinking about ordering.  You will be able to see pictures and planting information..

 

This is the time to prune trees and shrubs (after you sharpen your tools). You can see their structure now that they are dormant and the leaves are down. Cut out crossing and rubbing branches and unwanted suckers.  Pruning can be done to reduce the size of a tree or shrub to bring it in to balance or to remove overhanging branches blocking a view or path. Remember, spring flowering shrubs should be pruned after flowering if you want to enjoy the blooms, but giving up some blooms for necessary pruning for the long term health of the plant is a trade-off worth doing. Insects and disease are less likely to be attracted to cuts while trees are dormant.

 

On smaller trees you may want to take care of problems yourself. On larger trees you should call in an expert to inspect and perhaps correct any problems. Arborists are in a slow time of year. The ground, if frozen, will not be damaged and compacted as much from equipment and crews.

 

The Arbor Day Foundation recommends that you have Certified Arborists check any safety problems you may have noticed. To find them go to www.isa-arbor.com click on “Verify Certification” and then “Find an Arborist.” Most important, do not allow anyone to “top your trees.” Aside from their ugly appearance, topped trees have their future health and safety compromised. There are better ways to shorten a tree, if that’s what you want, than by topping them. A skilled and trained arborist knows how to do this.

 

An old rule of pruning is, where you cut is where you will get growth. Cut off a branch leaving a stub and more branches will sprout from that spot. A process called apical dominance controls this process. If you know what you’re doing you can use this process to get the kind of growth you want. You can check out www.ohioline.osu.edu  or www.arborday.org to get more information and tips on pruning.

 

If you dug up bulbs for storage check on them. Spritz them with water to prevent drying out. Throw away any rotting or shriveled ones. Water any dormant or overwintering plants in your garage or basement.

 

Some seeds can be started indoors this month for setting out in late March or early April, depending on the weather: onions, cabbage, cauliflower, and other  members of the Cole family. The University of Minnesota has a good discussion; go to www.extension.umn.edu/garden /flowers/starting-seeds-indoors. Also Google Winter Sowing. There you will read how to use old plastic milk bottles to easily germinate some seeds. It is a good way to raise a lot of seedlings for planting “drifts,” those bands of like plants that wander serpentine through our flower beds.