February 2023
PICKAWAY TO GARDEN
When You Say Bud…
By Paul Hang
What do a
rodent, some U.S. Presidents, chocolate and a dozen roses have in common? If
you guessed certain U.S. Congressmen you are wrong. The answer is, February!
Certain U.S. Congressmen seldom come up smelling like roses.
Like
congress, February doesn’t get much respect. It follows the supermarket rule;
the shortest line is always the longest. February is a lot like November. It is
a transition from one season to the other. And, in the realm of photosynthesis,
there is not a lot going on.
There is at
least one thing a plant person, or anyone, can profit from in February: the chance to exam the buds of woody
perennials, especially trees. Have you noticed that the buds of Silver maples
have already begun to swell? Can the red of Red maples be far behind? The buds,
leaf scars and stems of trees are more distinctive than their leaves. They are
a better means of identifying a tree’s species than other characteristics. No
two species of trees’ buds are exactly the same.
The buds of
trees in winter, which are formed the previous summer, may be large, like Hickory,
or small like Mulberry. They may be round, oval or pointed (Beech), slender or
flat, hidden or exposed. They may be smooth, downy, sticky, or rough, covered
in scales or naked. The color may range from a sulphur-yellow, red, and purple,
green, brown to a midnight black.
The terminal
buds, at the end of the twig, may be singular, in a bundle (oaks) or lacking
entirely (frequently on the Ohio buckeye). The scales of the buds number from missing
entirely (Walnut) to many. The sycamore has but one scale. They may come in
pairs or overlapping like shingles on a roof or scales on a fish. The buds may
be opposite on the twig or, as in most woody perennials, alternate.
February
offers the opportunity, perhaps like no other month, to notice the swelling of
buds as the weather warms. Examined up close, the buds of trees in particular,
offer endless variety and clues to their identity. Cut open a large tree bud
and there you will find, in miniature, tiny leaves, perhaps flowers, either
protected by a luxurious covering of fur like a couch potato or barely covered,
Spartan-like, braving the cold winter winds. It will make the shortest month go
by much faster than usual.
The
Pennsylvania rodent says (only) six more weeks of winter? His is a prediction
not more reliable than flipping a coin. What I would like to know is how much
wood he can chuck when he should be hibernating.
Things to do in the garden:
Not much.
Check perennials and bulbs for heaving out of the ground. Press them down
gently with your foot. Make a list of plants you want. Inventory seeds you have
saved make sure they aren’t past viability. 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. 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. Insects are
less likely to be attracted to cuts while trees are dormant. Remember, spring
flowering shrubs should be pruned after flowering if you want to enjoy the
blooms. Summer flowering shrubs can be pruned now. Cut back butterfly bush (Buddleia)
severely.
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.” The City of Circleville has a Comprehensive Tree Plan.
You can find it at ci.circleville.oh.us, in the search box type Tree Plan.
There you will find lots of information on caring for trees.
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. Water houseplants with lukewarm water, don’t
overwater and turn them a quarter turn once a week, no fertilizer yet.
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. Now is a good time to start building raised vegetable
garden beds. If your compost heap isn’t frozen and is workable, turn it.
No comments:
Post a Comment