Plants in flower and those of interest:

• Wintersweet – Chimonanthus praecox
• Winter honeysuckle - Lonicera fragrantissima
• Lenten rose - Helleborus sp.
• Crocus – Crocus sp.

Planting:

• First week in February start broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower plants inside
• Plant English peas, onions, Irish potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, spinach, kale, turnips, and carrots the last week of Feb
• Plant asparagus crowns when soil is dry enough to work
• Plant fruit trees, blueberry bushes, and grape vines while dormant before buds open

Fertilizing:

• Shade trees can be fertilized
• Fertilize emerging spring flower bulbs
• Spread wood ashes around the vegetable garden, flowering bulb beds, and non-acid loving plants if pH is below 6.0

Pruning:

• Prune bunch grapes and muscadines

• Prune established blueberries this month: cut out 3 to 4 of the largest, oldest canes. Crossing, diseased and low hanging branches should also be removed. Prune after the plants have shed their leaves but before flower buds begin to open (Dec-March).

• Trim ornamental grasses like liriope, Mondo grass, and pampas grass (a weed eater will work perfect!)
• Cut back any overgrown shrubs like: Ligustrum (privet), Osmanthus, red-tipped photinia, holly, boxwood, cleyera, junipers, etc.
• Prune summer flowing shrubs like: Crape myrtle, Rose of Sharon (Althea), Eleagnus, and butterfly bush
• Prune camellias any time after blooming. Never Prune these after the end of May
• Prune fruit trees such as apples, cherry, nectarine, peach, pear, and plum while dormant, before buds open
• Remove or destroy pruned leaves, branches, and clippings to prevent disease problems
• Cut back and remove any browned foliage from tender perennials

Spraying:

• Peach and nectarine trees need to be sprayed with a fungicide to prevent leaf curl
• Spray all fruit trees with dormant oil to help eliminate some insects (after pruning)

Lawn Care:

• Cool season lawns like tall fescue should be fertilized. Follow soil test results
• Control wild onion in your lawn with spot sprays of a recommended herbicide
• Apply crabgrass preventer to cool season grasses

Propagation:

• Divide perennials like daylily and shasty daisy when the ground is dry enough
• Hardwood cuttings of many landscape plants like Crape Myrtle, flowering Quince, forsythia, hydrangea, juniper, spirea, and weigela can be taken this month

Specific Chores:

• Clean out bluebird boxes
• Order flowers for your sweetie – Happy Valentine’s Day!
• Develop a vegetable and landscape plan for your home grounds
• Order fruit trees, shrubs, and other edible plants from the Extension Office!
• Bring cut branches of forsythia, winter honeysuckle, spirea, and quince inside. Place branches in water-filled vases to enjoy early blooms