February is beginning to look less like winter and more spring every day! There are still lots of chores on my to-do list before the month is over. Here is a rundown of what we should be working on at this time of year. Assuming you are not still under a foot of snow, that is…
Compost
We will all need more compost in the coming months as we plant out the spring crops. This is a good time to give your compost pile a big stir. I use a three bin system, so I will be out there rain or shine with a pitch fork mixing up the piles. This sends fresh oxygen into the mounds, reinvigorating those microbes to keep breaking things down.
Read more about How to Setup a Three Bin Compost System.
Harvest
I have several crops from this past fall that are ready to come out of the beds. Carrots left in the beds need to be pulled before they start to regrow. My winter leeks and kale are ready to eat. The arugula has already started to bolt, so it needs to pulled and fed to the chickens.
Water
It might seem silly to water in winter, but some areas of the homestead still need a drink. Our indoor citrus trees get watered about once a week. And two of our raised beds are covered in greenhouse plastic, which doesn’t allow rainwater to filter through. If you’re going through an unusual dry spell, even young dormant trees and containers still need occasional watering.
Read more about How to Cover Your Raised Beds in greenhouse plastic for early spring planting.
Prune
One of my favorite winter gardening activities is pruning the fruit trees. I wait for a break in the weather, when that crisp sun comes out for a brief visit. I then dash into the backyard to snip a few key branches to keep our trees growing in the right direction. If your trees are just waking up, now is a good time to trim off any dead branches.
Read more about some Fruit Tree Pruning Tips.
Plant
We can’t plant much outside today, but it is high time to start indoor vegetable seeds. If you live in Portland, check out the seed starting calendar from Portland Nursery. I’m already behind on starting mine and the season has barely begun!
Read more about Seed Starting Basics.
What are you working on in your garden this weekend? Or are you still staring at a winter wonderland from the safety of your cozy armchair?
