| by Emma Kendell, GardeningKnowHow Top Photo: Getty Images Spring is fast approaching, and if you get these four February garden jobs done before your plants wake up, you’ll enjoy tremendous benefits for the rest of the year. Trimmed, well-fed plants will be healthier and more floriferous for months to come, and a few hours invested now will pay back fourfold when it comes to watering and weeding in spring and summer. Ready to brave the chill? It’s worth it, you’ll see! |
 |
| 1. Pre-Season PruneHand pruners at the ready! February is a prime month for pruning many garden plants. A late winter prune to remove old growth, before the warmer weather of spring arrives, will direct the plant’s energy into growing plenty of flowers and fresh new shoots. It will also keep plants tidy and healthy.Check your USDA zone and choose a mild, dry weather window, as it’s best not to prune in below-freezing temperatures. Frozen stems, particularly woody ones, are more brittle, so cuts may crack instead of quickly sealing, increasing the risk of disease. |
 2. Start Clearing Dead StemsYou’ve likely left the stems of perennial plants standing over winter, both for garden structure and to provide wildlife with habitat and food. And do be judicious about what to clear, when, as those stems might still be doing a great job in either of those roles, depending on your zone. For most perennials, simply pull the dead stems from the crown or cut them close to the ground, or as close as you can without damaging any new growth. Perennials that shoot from below the soil surface, like peonies, can safely be chopped to ground level. Leave old growth on borderline-hardy perennials like penstemons until after your last frost date, as it’ll help insulate the plant. For evergreen perennials such as red hot pokers, simply remove any dead, diseased or damaged leaves. |
 |
| 3. Weed Like You Mean ItNo-one loves weeding, but every minute you spend pulling out those pesky plants now will save you a half-hour in spring! The soil is usually soggy enough in February to pull up persistent perennial weeds with strong tap roots, like dandelions and docks. Annual weeds will start growing like wildfire as soon as the weather warms up, so get rid of them while they’re tiny enough to easily let go of the soil. |
 4. Mulch Borders for an Easy LifeNow your borders are clear, applying a layer of mulch will suppress weeds and keep them that way. This layer of organic matter will also conserve moisture, meaning you won’t have to water as often, and slowly break down to improve soil nutrients and structure.Choose a biodegradable mulch: homemade garden compost or leaf mold work well, or [stop by Payne’s Organic Soil Yard for a variety of compost and mulch.] Spread a layer 2–3 inches thick over the soil, being careful not to heap it up against plants as it could cause rot. Don’t mulch under low-growing groundcover plants for the same reason. |