Although it seems to rain or snow or rain and snow every day, there have been breaks of sunshine.
January and February have kept weather forecasters busy — and filled gardeners with anticipation.
During the days of sunshine, it is tempting to slip on garden boots and begin winter clean-up. Please pace yourself. The temperatures will drop, days will be rainy, the snow will return, and the winter garden will still provide protection for small garden wildlife and summer perennials.
The winter winds combined with heavy snow and ice may have broken branches in trees or shrubs. Go ahead and remove them, but resist the urge to trim or shape the shrub. This is not the time to expose fresh cuts to the winter weather.
Let spring shrubs such as forsythia, lilac, and azalea bloom before pruning. The best time for pruning these shrubs is after the flowers have faded.
I have boxwoods that were not trimmed last year. They need a good haircut, and I can’t wait to shape them. I will try my best to hold off until the chance of frost is gone, but with boxwoods, because there is no flower, I can prune them in early spring.
Ornamental grasses are the perfect cover for garden creatures. Give the grass clusters a few more weeks before cutting back or dividing. When it’s time, you will see new shoots appearing and ready to grow tall.
If heavy rain or flooding has left debris on your property, it needs to be tidied up. During one of the heavy rains, gravel washed into my driveway and side yard. I’m not sure where it came from, but I am working on cleaning it out of the way.
Because of the rain and melting snow, I have noticed new areas of my gardens that need attention. I will add additional stepping stones to a pathway I travel daily. This year, it is extra soggy and hard to navigate without garden shoes.
The deer population has exploded and the small path they created is now a muddy freeway! I’m not sure what the answer is, but I need a fix before summer when I begin using the same path to access back gardens.
I’m letting leaves stay strewn across the beds. Although a fresh layer of mulch would be much more attractive, I know the leaves are protecting animals and my sleeping perennial roots.
Despite the leaves and remains of fall mulch, I see green shoots through the soil. They are a welcomed sight. The early snowdrops will bloom and brighten beds of leaves and mulch. Other blooms will follow soon.
I need to walk the back gardens. I have kept up with fallen branches but need to look for smaller “messes†caused by storms or wildlife. I will check the fence for damage and replace any lighting that didn’t survive the winter.
When I bemoan the cold weather, I have a friend who (not so) gently reminds me it is February, so buck up and put on an extra layer. Wise words. And a reminder: if I need an extra layer to combat the elements, so does the garden.
