Aberdeen Florist & Garden Center

Gardening Tips for February

“Failing to plan is planning to fail”. So goes the old adage, and there is no time better than February to get a plan of action for spring gardening. Some planting can be started by mid-month, which will yield yummy spring treats.

With all the discussion of “eating local”, it is a great time to decide to plant some edibles.
Even a small space can yield rewards for a small household. Consider radishes, spinach, leaf lettuce, Swiss chard, and arugula if your space is small. If you have more room, add broccoli, cabbage, asparagus and strawberries. All of these can be planted beginning in late February, and will survive some frost. Rosemary, parsley, and cilantro could be considered if you enjoy these flavors in cooking. Blueberries are extremely rewarding for the amount of effort required, as the new hybrids are descendents of locally native plants. Nutritionally, they are unequaled.

There are many reasons to grow your own veggies, the significant being freshness. There is nothing better than a fresh salad, harvested and served within the hour. You also have the assurance of wholesomeness, as you control the use of chemicals and methods of sanitary handling. You can only guess about these factors if you purchase produce in a supermarket. Besides the nutrition aspect, by growing your own, you’ll get some exercise, fresh air and sunshine, and, the best of all, the satisfaction that comes from working with the earth.

There are more varieties of produce available to us than ever in history, but at the cost of trucking these items from far away, sacrificing flavor, freshness, sanitation, and fuel to bring them here. So if you do decide to start or expand your vegetable plot this year, give yourself extra credit for sustaining not only your own good health, but the health of the environment as well.

As I talk to people about their gardening habits, I listen for the reasons they do it. Some just love the feeling of producing something useful. Many occupations today are service related, and though this is important, it deprives us of the satisfaction of producing something tangible. Some like the idea of having the most beautiful yard in the neighborhood. They like competition, and strive to improve the appearance of their grounds. Many find the process relaxing, coming home from stressful jobs, it is great to just get outside, absorb nature, and work out the kinks.

With the economic slump causing more stress, and a re-evaluation of personal spending habits, I think I am going to hear more about gardening as a leisure time activity, saving money once spent on travel, entertainment and fitness programs. Gardening can economically replace those activities; and more people will be examining their ‘carbon footprint’ and will recognize gardening as a way to reduce the use of fuels while bringing wholesome nourishment to the table, and beauty to their surroundings. More emphasis will be placed on casual entertaining at home. So take a walk around the yard, and make a “to-do” list of possible improvements.

On the ornamental side, it is a great time plant new trees and shrubs, or to move any existing ones that have outgrown their space. When deciding whether to move or replace, take a critical look at the shape of the plant, and decide if you are willing to wait for it to recover it’s shape in it’s new position. While nothing is more beautiful than a mature landscape, sometimes, neglected or improper pruning will leave a shrub leggy and misshapen. It may be more prudent to discard (compost) it and choose a new one, more suitable to the space available. When placing the new shrub, consider the mature size of the plant, and don’t be tempted to over crowd. We’ll talk more about landscape placement & spacing next month.

Catalogs and ads for plants and trees abound this time of year. Read them for information, but resist the temptation to order based on fantastic claims. If a certain plant draws your interest, visit local garden centers and nurseries to find out which claims will bear out in our area. Ask questions of seasoned professionals, and you more likely get realistic information to assist your choices. Catalogs from reputable companies offer a plethora of useful information, but buying local is almost always the better deal for price and for long-term satisfaction.

Happy Gardening!!

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