Writing this article a month in advance can be tricky. Chances are good, by the time this column is printed, many of us will be ready for the Winter season to be over. It is not so much Winter, but the short days, overcast skies, cold, wind and snow of this time of year. Yeah, stop rubbing it in you say. Warmer temperatures and sunnier skies sound so much better, don’t they? But not all is bad with Winter, that is, if you are a plant! This month let us take a moment and consider the benefits of Winter and all that it provides our gardens, plus what we still can do outside to prepare for the upcoming Spring.
Let’s start with the cold. Stratification is a fancy term used for a cold period required for certain seeds to germinate. The freeze/thaw associated with our cold period enhances the process of seed coat softening and the seed embryo enzymes to be engaged so that the seeds do not emerge too early in the season. How smart is that? Dormancy (a rest period) brought about by cold or cooler temperatures in plants may be required for plant flowering. Examples of this include daffodils, tulips and other spring flowering bulbs along with northern fruiting trees such as apples, pears, etc. The cold period for this purpose is called vernalization.
The four-letter word “snow” is beneficial to our gardens! You may have heard the saying “snow is the poor man’s fertilizer.” It is just not a saying but there is scientific evidence that this is true. One of the macro-nutrients used by plants, nitrogen, is found in our precipitation. Various resources state that between 2 to 12 pounds of — nitrogen — per acre may be added to our soil via rain and/or snow. Now, not all of this may actually be available to plants based on various site specific factors, but any free nitrogen is better than none. Lastly, that blanket of white fluff in the garden protects our plants as an insulator, shielding them from the drastic temperature fluctuations above and below ground during periods of freeze and thaw and for evergreen perennial plants, wind burn.
Rising temperatures and lengthening days are triggers for natural processes around us. Although the changes are often not all that apparent to us, plants will take these cues to initiate growth best suited to their needs. Take a walk in the yard and try to observe the swelling of buds and perhaps early flowers of Vernal Witch-hazel (not native to NYS but hardy in our region). These little changes can bring some sunshine into the month of February.
So, what can you do outside now if you have cabin fever and want to get a start on Spring garden chores? Some of us just need to get our hands dirty.
Here are a few ideas:
Start dormant plant pruning, i.e. blueberries, currant and gooseberry shrubs to increase yields and plant health. Although most fruit tree pruning is done in March, this too can be done if the weather cooperates. DO NOT prune any “spring bleeders,” maple and/or birch trees, nor spring flowering shrubs that bloom on last year’s stems, i.e. forsythia, azaleas, service berry, rhododendrons to name a few.
Check for pests, more specifically signs of pests. Look for camouflaged egg masses to be removed, cut out diseased branches with cankers/molds, protect plants from deer damage, etc. A nice bonfire is a good place to dispose of what you have cleaned out.
If you haven’t done so already, plan the garden or landscape. Dream big, create a master plan and then take on one project at a time with your plan to keep you on track.
Order seeds! Time is running short for some of those plants that require a longer period to develop indoors, i.e. onions, snapdragons, impatiens, hot peppers, etc.
Start indoor seeding for the plants mentioned above. Look at the seed packets. They often provide guidance with the preferred timing for seeding based on the date of the last frost (to be safe: June 1st around here).
Re-pot indoor plants. Use this opportunity to check plants for pests and overall health.
Okay, no time to sit around. Get thinking Spring even though we may be in for some of the snowiest storms yet! It is all good and this too shall pass.~