Oh my goodness, what a lot of snow! Warmer weather is just around the corner, however, and there are tasks to be done in the garden.
WALK AROUND YOUR GARDENPlants that have been pushed out of the ground by frost should be pressed back into place.
Look for fallen branches. Trim back any branches that were damaged by frost, snow or wind. Clean up any left over debris from last year.
COVER BARE SOIL with a mulch of leaves, straw, cardboard or similar material. This will prevent soil and nutrient erosion from seasonal rains and wind while encouraging soil life such as earthworms which improve the soil. Remove the mulch when you’re ready to plant.
ADD COMPOST AND/OR COMPOSTED MANURE
to your beds and leave on top if it’s finely textured or mix it in if it’s still a little clumpy. Don’t forget to apply the compost and /or composted manure around the base of fruit trees and berry bushes (at the drip line).
PRUNE ROSES
at the end of their dormant season, when the buds are just beginning to swell; this could be February or March, depending on the weather.
TRANSPLANT
Deciduous shrubs and trees are still dormant enough to transplant this month. Most perennials can be divided and moved up until the time they begin to show new growth.
APPLY dormant oil to fruit trees
PLANT outside
Rhubarb, Horseradish, Fava (Broad) beans
START inside
Artichokes, Sweet onions, Summer leeks, Fennel, Parsley
GET STARTER MIX ready for seed starting next month
TUNE UP AND SHARPEN your lawnmower and garden tools
Information from the Powell River Community Resource Centre Garden page, Denman Home and Garden Tour Newsletter and local gardeners.
Thanks for the reminders, Sue.....hopefully the snow will disappear soon so we can get out into the garden!
ReplyDeleteJoyce R.
Making a list made me feel better about the snow-it will disappear and then we can get cracking!
DeleteThanks for the list. I also used this dormant period to prune my two year old blueberry plants. They are about twice as big as last year so I hope to get twice as many berries. - Margy
DeleteThanks for the tip, Margy.
DeleteThanks so much! I am still learning all about gardening in this Much better climate (than northern AB). -I can still barely believe All we can grow here, my friends all green with envy!
ReplyDeleteBarb M
I know we have quite a few new members who have moved here from other provinces and thought this post might be helpful. Thanks for letting me know and happy gardening.
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