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February
brings some of those spring teasers (unseasonably warm weather) that
make us want to leap into spring with both feet. I know you’re as
anxious I am, dreaming about sunny eighty-five degree days. Generally
when we get one of those days in February it is followed by tornadoes,
high winds, rain, more winds; then cold temperatures that remind us that
it’s still wintertime!
We’re
on the downside of winter. My favorite holiday is Groundhog Day and
generally that marks the halfway point of winter. Groundhog Day usually
falls between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox.
There
are still a lot of wintertime chores to do. If you haven’t serviced
your lawn mowing equipment, right now is the time! Don’t wait till
spring to have your mowers serviced. If you take your mower to the
service center now, you won’t have the long wait that you’ll have in
mid-March. If you do have to wait a couple of weeks to get your mower
back, it’s ok right now. You’re not using it anyway.
While
you’re at it, take your string trimmer, blower and other gas-powered
tools in for annual servicing.
While
the power tools are being serviced, you should take stock of the
condition of your hand-powered gardening tools. Spades, shovels,
mattocks, picks, cultivators and rakes should be checked for loose
handles, oxidation and general wear. They should be repaired and
lubricated with oil on the metal parts.
It
is also time to walk around your garden and see what’s coming back
from last year. You know, the plants that went into dormancy or the ones
that you thought died during the drought. You might be surprised at what
survived!
Move
around! It’s not too late to move those plants that were planted in
the wrong place. I don’t mean just the small perennials, but the trees
and shrubs too. Don’t wait till spring to move the plants. Get them
into place before they start producing leaves and blooms because that
stage of growth requires more water.
Another
pleasantry of this time of year is planning your garden by dreaming your
way through seed catalogs. You’d better get those last minute seed
orders in!
Get
ready for spring. It’ll be here next month.
Home
Grown Tomatoes Radio show is a great way to learn what you should be
doing in your garden each week and gives you the chance to ask experts
about all things green! If your local radio station isn’t carrying
Home Grown Tomatoes yet, call them and request it!
Kenn
Alan presents the radio show "Home Grown Tomatoes," and offers
gardening tips at HGTradio.net,
where Home Grown Tomatoes can now be heard live on the Internet by
following instructions on the home page!
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