This February is much different than past Februarys. It’s not as cold, and it’s not as snowy, icy, or rainy. However, we still have winter garden chores!
Start by checking your perennial plants. You can protect your strawberries and many perennial flowers as well as garlic, over-wintered spinach, and other crops that can easily be damaged by alternate warming and freezing of the soil with mulch. Although it is too late to undo any damage that’s done, mulching now can prevent additional damage caused by spring fluctuations in soil temperatures.
You can also take a walk around the garden to check for winter damage to shrubs, evergreens, and trees. Look for damage by rabbits and rodents, too. We have a lot of rabbits in our area this year, so be sure to understand who is causing garden damage before coming up with a solution.
February is also a great time to think about the birds. In addition to keeping the feeders full, you can attract them to your yard and garden next spring by adding a birdhouse now.