Garden Solutions - February 2019

             February continues with dreary weather, but the anticipation of spring is closer every day.  Our daylight hours are getting a little longer, which holds the promise that spring will be here soon.  There are a few things to remind ourselves of, in preparation for this fabulous time of year.

            Seed sowing time is upon us!  Now is the time of year to start seeds indoors for slow growing annuals such as Ageratum, Petunias, Geraniums, Impatiens, Salvia and Coleus. Check out the great selections of seed varieties available. We may now also move into our gardens outside, if the weather permits, to start the seeds of Peas, Lettuce, Spinach and Radish. What a great feeling to work in the fresh air again!

           

            Keep an eye out for Chickweed and Henbit in your lawn.  These two early weeds have already emerged and will be thick this year.  Spot treat these areas with Fertilome Weed-Out weed killer to keep it from going to seed.

            Amaryllis and Paperwhite bulbs can still be forced indoors this winter.  Make sure you keep the top 1/3 of the bulb out of the container, place into a sunny window, water and enjoy.  Houseplants will be coming out of their winter dormancy soon, so now is the time to consider repotting and trimming root bound plants.  This works best before vigorous growth occurs.  When transplanting, choose a container that is about 2” larger in diameter than the old pot your plant is in today.  This will make for an easier transition period for your plants.  Add a slow release fertilizer, such as Osmocote, at this time. We have a great selection of new and fun plant varieties.

            Service and repair your lawn and garden equipment if you haven’t already done so.  Sharpen and oil your hand tools, if this wasn’t done last December when you put your gardens to rest.  A bucket of sand and a quart of motor oil work great for cleaning and oiling our tools.  Pour the motor oil into the sand and insert your tool blades. This will help keep them clean and keep them from rusting.  Have your lawn mower tuned up and the blades sharpened this month also.

            Deep root feed all trees and shrubs once the soil thaws.  This gets the plants off to a great start for spring.  The fertilizer has a chance to flow up with the sap and directly to the new growth giving way for great green foliage and flowers.

            Dormant spray all fruits, berry plants and roses with a dormant oil spray when the temperature is above 40*.  This will help protect the plants from any over wintering fungus spores and insect eggs.

            It is time to go, so we will “See you in the garden!”

Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Garden Solutions - February 2015

February is National Bird Feeding Month!!!

February is National Bird Feeding Month… so if you have not yet enjoyed this hobby, it is not too late to start. Choose the proper feed and feeders for the types of birds you would like to attract. Tube type feeders are great for all types of songbirds, including finches, nuthatches, pine siskens, and more. Platform type feeders, (feeders with a horizontal bar or platform) are best for attracting larger birds such as cardinals, bluebirds, blue jays, etc. To view the antics of these fluttering jewels is remarkable. Start today.

      I cannot believe that it is February already. January is normally one of the slowest months around a garden center, but this year it has flown by. It is time for that furry little rodent to come out and tell us what we already know; it is winter, and groundhogs know nothing about predicting the weather. It is also time for the Super Bowl and the associated parties. I really hope that the game is at least as good as the commercials normally are. With that said, lets move on with this month’s tasks and ideas.

 

Now would be a good time to finish cleaning, sharpening, and oiling your yard tools. Check the handles of all of your yard tools to make sure they are not broken, splintering, or otherwise dangerous, and replace those that are. Also, make sure that your wheelbarrow is sturdy and your lawnmower, roto-tiller, and string trimmer are in good working condition and ready to start on the first pull this spring. Another cold weather job is cleaning up any containers or planters that you have stored away. While doing this, make a list of the flowers that you are going to need for these containers in the spring.

      If the weather warms up enough to be able to go outside and work, look for winter damage as well as damage done to your plants by hungry critters. You can also begin some of the spring cleanup tasks at this time. Remove all those leaves that have blown in from your neighbor’s yard and accumulated around your shrubs. Cut back any perennials that you may not have gotten to last fall.

      Are you thinking of using wood ashes in your garden? Be careful. A measured application can be beneficial to increase the soil pH and add potassium, but an over-application can increase the likelihood of soil related problems. Wood ashes should not come into contact with germinating seedlings or plant roots, since they may cause root damage. Ashes that settle on foliage can cause burning. Do not use ashes around plants that prefer acid soils such as blueberries, hollies and azaleas. Never use more than 20 pounds of wood ash per 1,000 square feet, as toxicity problems could result from excessive usage.

      You can still safely prune most deciduous trees and shrubs now, but remember to stay away from any of the spring flowering trees and shrubs. If you trim them now, you will not have any flowers this spring.

 

       Towards the end of the month, you can start cutting back any and all of the ornamental grasses in your landscape. You can also edge your planting beds and get them ready for mulching.

      If the weather does not warm up enough for you to get any outside work done this month, do not despair, you can find help by contacting your local landscape provider. If at any time you feel overwhelmed with the tasks you have to complete in your landscape, call someone for help.

      We are approaching March, what I call the foundation month. All the work that you do in March sets the foundation for a successful or unsuccessful year of gardening and enjoying your landscape. Remember, February is your chance to get a head start on March. Take advantage of any warm days we get at this time. Anything you can get done this month will be one less thing you have to do in March.

 

Therefore, there is a lot to embrace and enjoy in the garden… see you next time.

Sandi Hillermann McDonald

Garden Solutions - January 11

Winter is upon us in full force. Only 78 days until spring arrives! A combination of sleet and snow has made many food sources impossible to reach for many of the wild birds in mid Missouri. In normal winter conditions, most birds have ways of coping with the cold. To help survive cold nights, Chickadees can lower their normal 108-degree body temperature by 12-15 degrees to conserve energy. By dawn, they, like many birds, will quickly dart to a food source to fill their empty stomachs. That is why early morning and late evenings are some of the ‘largest crowds’ at bird feeders. Because most normal food sources are now either ice encrusted or covered by snow, wild birds need and greatly benefit by mid Missouri residents feeding them during times like this.

A good thing to feed the wild birds is hi-energy foods like black oil sunflower seeds, tree nut pieces and suet that give birds more energy per ounce consumed. While something is better than nothing, there is problem with cheap mixes full of oats and wheat or things like bread and cereal that people sometimes throw on the snow. These foods are not only low in energy, they are also the favorites of nuisance, non-native birds like Starlings and English Sparrows that compete, not only for food, but also nesting cavities that many native birds utilize in winter to stay warm. Several Central Missouri songbirds like Bluebirds and Chickadees often sleep in groups on extremely cold nights in cavities or nest boxes transferring heat from one body to the next. It is not uncommon for 6-9 Bluebirds to emerge from one box. A challenge of feeding suet is that Starlings love it. Feed suet in upside down suet feeders and hang them high as Starlings have a hard time hanging upside down to feed and Woodpeckers, Chickadees, Titmice, Nuthatches, and other desirable songbirds can easily hang upside down for feeding.

One need of wild birds often overlooked by consumers in cold weather is the need for ‘open water’. The main reason water is needed is that to keep warm, birds fluff out their feathers so they can better capture a ‘layer of air’ that acts as heated insulation. Matted, dirty feathers can’t be fluffed out, making a bird feel much like how a human feels that wears a down insulated jacket that’s all matted up and not very warm. That is why they need water throughout winter to bathe as well as drink. There are many birdbath heaters and heated birdbaths for as little or less that $20 to help keep water available for wild birds and cost pennies per day in electricity to run.

Does the weather keep you from getting out to your feeders? Just fling a spray of black oil seeds or a good quality wild bird mix out of a bucket or trash can and let it fly out across the top of the snow. Dozens of your feathered friends will soon add brilliant flashes of red and blue, and gray and white across the snow and you’ll hear their melodious songs as they sing ‘thanks’ to you for helping them survive.

If you can tolerate the cold weather, there are a number of things that you can do this month in your landscape that will lighten your workload for the rest of the season. The main item is pruning or thinning of your woody ornamentals. Deciduous trees such as maples, oaks, ash, etc., can be pruned at this time. Interior, broken, or crossing branches should be removed now while you can see exactly what you are removing. The general rule of thumb is that you should not touch spring flowering trees and shrubs at this time of year.

If the weather is extremely bad this month, then snow and/or ice removal are going to be the big tasks for this month. Heavy accumulations of snow or ice can easily damage plants. Dump a snow shovel full of wet snow on top of some of your shrubs and you may end up replacing the broken mass next spring. Snow plows can also do quite a bit of damage to plantings and lawn areas. Use location stakes with flags to show where your driveways and walkways are as well as where to “dump” excess snow. If you have to deal with ice, be extremely careful with the melting compound you use. Rock salt is the most widely used compound and it has the least temperature range for its effectiveness. In addition, rock salt will destroy concrete sidewalks, driveways, and concrete pavers. It will also kill most shrubs, perennials, and lawns. There are many other compounds used for melting ice that won’t damage your concrete or kill your plants. I recommend Calcium chloride or potassium chloride products. If you choose to use these, please read the labels thoroughly. Some work in very low temperatures, but are harmful to pets and wildlife. Others only work when the temperature is between 20 and 32 degrees. You can also use products such as birdseed, sawdust, and non-clumping cat litter to provide traction. Of course, these will not melt the ice, but they will not kill your plants, pets, or concrete.

If you have all of your pruning done, the snow or ice has been removed, and you still have time left to work on your outside to do list, don’t forget about your tools. If you haven’t already done so, it is time to thoroughly go over your lawn mower and make sure that it is already to go and will start on the first pull next spring. The same goes for all outdoor power equipment. Clean all of your hand tools, (pruners, shovels, rakes, etc.), removing any dirt, leaves, sap, from them. If they have wooden handles, inspect the handles for cracks, nicks, or splintering and either replace or repair them as needed. If they have a metal handle, check the welds for signs of breakage and have them repaired. If the tool is a cutting type, sharpen the edges as needed.

Time flies fast, so enjoy this winter preparing for spring, and we will “See you in the garden.”

Sandi Hillermann McDonald