It's February in North Georgia, and Atlanta is cold and raining. Gardeners, don't sleep, because Spring is almost upon us. Do not be lulled into complacency because it feels and looks like winter. In just a few weeks Atlanta Spring will begin, and there are things you the gardener needs to do now to be ready. Here is a list:
- Scalp warm-season lawns (Bermuda, Zoysia, Centipede)
- Continue to monitor local freeze warnings, be ready to protect tender plants
- Pick up the clippings and put in your compost pile
- Prune roses (middle of February)
- Cut forsythia to force indoors
- Fertilize seasonal flowers, tulip, and daffoldil beds with a low nitrogen, high phosphorous ferilizer
- Dead head yellowing, brown, or burned Camellia blooms.
- Prune crape myrtles (middle of February)
- Trim unruly shrubs like hollies, ligustrum, and cleyera
- Refresh mulch, if you haven't already
- Nurse your compost pile.
- Inventory and inspect gardening equipment
- Get mowers, chippers, weed eaters that need it to the mechanic (if not done in January)
- Sharpen blades and change oil on mowers
- Sharpen chain saw chains.
- Check the January gardening task list, and do on there what you didn't do.
March is less than a month away, and Atlanta Spring season will be upon us, despite what a certain groundhog in Pennsylvania may say. Regardless, for them it will be winter a bit longer than for us.
Abdurrahim is the lead designer for a local, award-winning landscaping firm. You can reach him via email at: a.jalal@ProudlandLandscape.com
Resources:
"Winter chores in the landscape" -- UGA CAES
www.cleanairgardening.com/npkexplanation.html
www.groundhog.org/groundhog-day/about-groundhog-day/
Comments
Great list. How about an "if-you-only-have-one-weekend-to-get-it-all-done" list?
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