I can tell all you gardeners out there are getting restless. So, here are some answers about what you can do now in the garden and still be aware its “winter”
First, leave the mulch on sensitive roses, clematis and other USDA Zone 7 plants; plants that were put in late last year and any overwintered vegetables. You can start cleaning up the detritus of winter but loosely leave mulch on beds for now for the critters.
If the soil can be worked in vegetable beds, start digging in compost and other soil amendments. Soil is workable when a handful compressed in a hand is easily poked apart. Cover the beds with a light mulch to keep the winter weeds from popping up. Some local soil companies are open for deliveries so you can order compost and bark to get a head start on the projects.
Winter weeds like shot weed, chickweed and annual bluegrass are having a grand time growing right now. Remove them now along with other weeds to save from work later. I am putting down some Preen in areas where shot weed has taken over. Shot weed will be blooming and setting seed by early April.
Now is a good time to cut down ornamental grasses. Wrap clumps with a piece of twine and then cut the dead stems down to 6 inches. Lay the clumps on the beds to continue to provide shelter for small critters and insects. They will be easy to pick up later. Don’t trim down evergreen grasses like blue oat grass or fescues. They are evergreen and the dead material can simply be combed out. Hold off moving plants until mid-March to prevent them from being frost-heaved out of the ground.
You can get a jump on garden construction projects such as new raised beds and paths. Just pull on your warmest coat and gloves and go for it. Remember though that cold weather reduces the battery run time for battery-powered tools. I am slowly moving 15 yards of gravel to a new path on sunny days. I do have to break the frozen crust on the pile but that’s easy. It’s a great way to get in shape for spring.
Now is a good time to prune fruit and ornamental trees and shrubs. The branches are bare so you can see what’s going on. In general, remove dead wood first and then crossing and rubbing branches. Do some research on the best way to prune a particular type of plant. Remember that shrubs like rhododendrons, forsythia, blue hydrangeas and lilac need to be pruned right after they bloom. Pruning them now will remove their flower buds.
Wait until early March to apply dormant oil and peach leaf curl treatments to fruit trees. This is the only time of the year you can control peach leaf curl. Dormant oil sprayed on tree bark smothers codling moth. Pick up any old fruit to remove more overwintering codling moth eggs and other pests.
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