GARDENING TIPS FOR FEBRUARY

What should a gardener do in February, when it is still cold outside.

●Why not plan on starting a native wild flower patch in the shady areas of your garden? The large, white petalled trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) is a spectacular plant for your shade garden. Other wild flowers to try, to name a few are Virginia bluebell (Mertensia virginica), ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphylum), shooting star (Dodecatheon meadia), Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), and wild geranium (Geranium maculatum). Wild flowers are perennials and after they are established, do not need to be fertilized or sprayed. They take care of themselves.

●Go outside and gather some twigs of honeysuckle, crabapple, or any kinds of spring flowering shrub or trees for some indoor color. This is as simple as placing the twigs in a vase of water and keep it near a warm sunny window.

●There are flower shows to attend to gather ideas on new and unusual vegetable and flower varieties to grow.

●Those of you who are interested in growing things and  help others in the meantime, this is a good time to  contact the Master Gardener's program and enroll for certification. Most workshops and classes start in April and that's when the flurry of growing activities happen. But the planning starts now.

●After you are the proud holder of your Master Gardener's degree, why not put it to good use? Help start a city community garden, a church garden or a school garden.

●Most of the activities this time of the year centers around planning for the spring and fall. Which means what varieties of vegetables are you going to try this year? Any special flower you want to try growing should be ordered by this month or next to arrive in time to start in doors.

●Seeds for the early spring crop should be started under fluorescent lights, so that when the soil warms up, they have grown large enough to be transplanted. This gives your plants a good jump start.

●This also the time to clean up after the winter snow and ice storms. Cut back all crossing branches and broken twigs.