February Gardening Calendar

LAWN CARE

It’s time to plan your lawn care for this year. Come in to ask us about the 5-Step Do-It-Yourself Lawn Care Program with a year’s worth of products specifically suited for the needs of your lawn. When you buy the program, you’ll save money and be sure you are applying the right product at the right time.

• The standard first step for cool-season lawns like fescue, bluegrass or rye, is a high grade nitrogen fertilizer with or without pre-emergent. A long-lasting preemergent can be applied in the winter or early spring months to get a jump start on the winter & spring broadleaves while also feeding your lawn.

• For warm-season grasses like Bermuda and zoysia, HiYield Turf and Ornamental Weed & Grass Stopper as a first step in spring will prevent crabgrass without the unneeded fertilizer.

• If you need to seed this spring, we can substitute ferti•lome New Lawn Starter as the first application. If you’re not sure what you need, come in and let us help you design a full year of lawn care specifically for your grass and conditions. The Do-It-Yourself Lawn Care Program is tailored to your pocketbook and your lawn’s needs. We also offer delivery of your Lawn Care Program to your door for only $25 more (15 mile radius).

WINTER TREE & SHRUB CARE

Late this winter or early spring, fertilize trees with ferti•lome Tree & Shrub Food to encourage good new growth this spring. A preventative application of ferti•lome Tree & Shrub Systemic Insect Drench might also be a good idea for borer-susceptible trees like birch, maple and ash. If we haven’t had snow or other moisture, be sure to water. Also, now is a good time to apply the same systemic drench on blooming shurbs that are susceptible to Japanese beetles, ie. Rose Bushes & Crape Myrtle.

SEED STARTING

Vegetable plants that can be planted outdoors in March and early April should be started indoors. Start tomatoes, peppers, kohlrabi & lettuces from seed now. Some annual flowers that need an eight week head start are ageratum, seed geraniums, begonias, impatiens, lobelia, petunias, rose moss, verbena and vinca. Most perennials will also need to be started early.

Seed Starting Tips:

• Use a sterile soilless seed starting medium like Seed & Cutting Mix or vermiculite.

• Keep soil moist. After the initial watering, mist the soil to keep it damp without dislodging the seeds.

• A dome or plastic bag over the plant flat will help with soil moisture and maintain humidity.

• A seedling heat mat will promote better and quicker germination by providing bottom warmth.

• Once the seedlings are up, fertilize once a week with a 1/4 strength solution of ferti•lome Blooming and Rooting Plant Food.

Once plants have sprouted, remove the dome and heat mat. For stocky, healthier plants, give them more light and cooler temperatures. If you don’t have enough natural sunlight, supplement with grow lights. A week or ten days before you want to plant them outside, start hardening them off. This is done by putting seedlings outdoors in a protected spot during the day, providing the weather isn’t too cold, or using a cold frame structure to shelter them. We have a great selection of seeds and starting supplies so you can get a jump on spring.

VEGETABLE GARDENING

Now is a great time to seed your cold frame or plant an area in the garden with cool weather crops (i.e. Lettuce, radish, spinach, kale, turnips & snow peas). Cold weather tolerant vegetables can also start going in the ground, plants such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower & lettuce love the cooler temperatures. Now is also a good time to fertilize your garden using Hi Yield Garden Fertilizer or 15-15-15, also apply extra Hi Yield Potash to areas that will be growing root crops i.e. potatoes, carrots & radish. The next few weeks are a great for applying Hi Yield Vegetable and Ornamental Insect Control to help stop those pesky Cucurbit Borers in cucumbers and squash.