February Garden Chores

      February is traditional our coldest month with snow flurry warnings all around the PNW, school closures threaten this month.  Streets are icy and slick, frost abounds. There is not much to do in the garden, BUT you can start planning your beds for spring planting.

     One way to plan your spring planting is to add our talk on Water Wise Gardening to your spring calendar. This free talk will be given by the Seattle Tilth at the Redmond Community Center at Marymoor Village and is scheduled for March 9^th, 10:30 am to 12:00 pm., the address is  6505 176th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052.  Even though the water won’t be turned on until early April, planning how you wish to organize and water your garden beds BEFORE you start planting is a must.

     

     Another way to prepare your beds for planting is to think about crop rotations. To help keep garden diseases at bay, it is wise to rotate your crops, so you are not growing the same annuals in the same beds year after year.  A garden journal is a handy tool.  Soil tests can be done at this time to determine what nutrients and elements your soil needs for the upcoming season.

           

     If you haven’t yet, it’s definitely time to shop for seeds. Many popular varieties sell out early. Browse through those catalogs early and look for local seed exchanges.  This is a great way to meet other gardeners and learn about new varieties. Mark those regional plant sales on your calendar, there are many in our area.