February Gardening To-Do List
The weather outside is frightful, but garden maintenance and planning can keep you busy. See what HGTV.com contributors are up to in their gardens.
Related To:
Fertilizing Christmas Plants
I’m fertilizing my Christmas plants — a poinsettia and a couple of Christmas cactus — with half-strength liquid fertilizer and keeping them near bright windows. —Lynn Coulter/Atlanta, Georgia
Planting Sweet Pea
Spring Cleaning for Bluebirds
Snowy Massachusetts Garden
Watch for Bees
Seed Set-Up
Plan Research Trips
Tend my Indoor Garden
Start Planning
I will begin planning on how I will add/change and add to the garden come spring.—Melissa Caughey
Protect Plants
Between snows, I check and replace netting over Lenten roses and heuchera. If I leave them uncovered, deer and rabbits eat them to the ground.—Julie Martens/Frostburg, Maryland
Storing Garlic
A few garlic bulbs are sprouting. I peel unsprouted cloves and toss them with oil to prevent freezer burn and freeze. This year I’m also going to try freezing garlic cubes—1 part chopped garlic to 2 parts oil is the ratio the USDA recommends.—Julie Martens
Stock Feeders
heated bird bath
Buy Hyacinths
I snap up small 4-inch pots of forced hyacinths when they’re on sale at the supermarket. I enjoy the fragrance in my home and move them outside once spring arrives. After the leaves die back in midsummer, I store the bulbs (still in their pots) for fall planting.—Julie Martens
Clean-Up
Transplant Bonsai
Insulate Roses
Repairing Fence
Now that my view of the fence and gate is unobscured by plants and flowers, I can see where repairs are needed. I will be nailing loose pickets into place and fixing the latch on the gate.—Felicia Feaster/Atlanta, Georgia
Painting the Porch
My front porch has shown some wear and tear so I plan to repaint the porch floor—a dark color to hide imperfections—and also the ceiling. It's the first thing—besides the picket fence—people see when they visit my home so I want it to look great.—Felicia Feaster
Work on Lighting Plan
Right now my outdoor lighting consists of security lights/floodlights and solar lighting, but I'd like to work on a more comprehensive plan that incorporates more lighting for security, but also lighting to highlight landscaping.—Felicia Feaster
Mailbox Shopping
Planning Side Garden
Mailbox Plantings
Light Balls
Cut Back Grass
Cut back perennial ornamental grasses to about six inches above ground. Cut back liriope and mondo grass.—Danny Flanders/Atlanta, Georgia
Fertilize
Fertilize trees and shrubs very late in the month.—Danny Flanders
Plant Spring Vegetables
Begin planting sweet peas and spring vegetables unless you live in a cold climate.—Danny Flanders
Fertilize Lawn
Prune
I'll be pruning shrub roses.—Danny Flanders
Shopping for Furniture
Since stores are making room for furniture to debut in the spring, I’ll be looking in February for outdoor furniture on sale as retailers try to clear out for new items.—Lori Johnston/Athens, Georgia
Put Manure to Good Use
Use a Cold Frame
Plant Fruit Trees
No snow here, which makes this is a great time to get bare-root fruit trees in the ground.—Mick Telkamp
Winter Hellebores
Rake Moss
Winter Perennials
Protect Camellia
Tend Sempervivum

Photo By: Costa Farms
Photo By: Image courtesy of The Birdhouse Chick, www.thebirdhousechick.com