General
Gardening Tips:
• Heathers, witchazels and winterhazels bloom this
month. Visit the garden center to see them in bloom and
consider if there is room in your landscape for these interesting
winter bloomers.
• Continue feeding birds in your garden. Natural food
sources are very scarce at this time of year. Barretta Garden
Center has an extensive selection of birdseed, houses, feeders
and other supplies to choose from. Water is also important
for birds, so if you have a birdbath in your garden, be
sure to use a de-icer to prevent the water from freezing.
• February is an ideal time to prune fruit trees.
• Late February / March is also the time to spray
fruit trees, roses and other trees and shrubs with a dormant
spray. Dormant spray should only be applied if the temperature
is above freezing. Dormant sprays are recommended if your
plants had a problem the previous year. Examples include
hemlock woolly adelgid, pine bark adelgid, eyounomous scale,
spruce mites and other pests. Since some dormant sprays
are for insects (Dormant Oil) and others are for diseases
(Lime Sulfur), and still others combine the two, we recommend
that you speak with one of our plant specialists about the
appropriate control for your particular plants.
• Brush or sweep heavy snow off evergreens to prevent
breakage.
• Apply an anti-desiccant such as Wilt-Pruf to azaleas,
rhododendrons, hollies and other broad-leafed evergreens
when the temperature is above 45 degrees F. These evergreens
have more surface area of leaf tissue, which can lose moisture
from the drying effects of the cold wind.
• January and February is the time to prune shade
trees if necessary.
• You can plant and transplant perennials in February.
• Protect your landscape from hungry deer. Our plant
specialists can help
you with wildlife control strategies.
• If you have containers that are not being used throughout
the winter, be sure to turn them over to keep them from
collecting water that could freeze and crack the container.
• On icy sidewalks and driveways, use a good quality
ice-melting product such as Mag (magnesium chloride). Do
not use salt or rock salt for they may damage the concrete
or the shrubs.
• If you feel it is necessary, you can take soil samples
of your garden area and test it for pH, Nitrogen, Phosphorous
and Potash levels.
Lawns:
• To keep your lawn looking its best, it is important
to maintain the proper pH level. Now would be a great time
to pick up a soil test kit at the garden center and test
the pH level of your lawn. If you need to raise the pH level
of the soil, February is an ideal time to lime the lawn.
Lawns prefer a pH range of 6.2 - 6.8. If your tests show
a level lower than 6.0, you should lime your lawn. Apply
50 lb. of lime per 1,000 square feet of lawn area. This
will raise the pH 1Ú/2 point. If you need to apply
more lime, wait six weeks between applications.
• You can also apply fertilizer and grass seed to
your lawn in February. If you do, be sure to use a slow-release
fertilizer such as Barretta Premium or Barretta Select and
a quality grass seed blend like Barretta Sunny, Barretta
Shady or Barretta Tuff Play. The seed will lie on the ground
until the soil temperature is warm enough for it to germinate.
The late winter / early spring rains will help work the
seed into the soil and provide the necessary moisture to
help germination.
• Stop by the garden center and pick-up a copy of
Barretta's free brochure, "Guide to Year-Round Lawn
Care." This brochure will give you helpful advice about
all aspects of lawn care, including seeding, liming, fertilizing
and weed and insect control.
Starting Seeds Indoors:
• Barretta is fully stocked with flower and vegetable
seeds, many of which can be started indoors this month.
• You can start your flower seeds indoors now for
Ageratum, Asters, Calendula, Companula, Candytuft, Carnations,
Centurea, Chrysanthemums, Coleus, Coreopsis, Dahlia, Gerbena,
Geraniums, Impatiens, Pansies, Petunia, Salvia, and Snapdragon.
• You can start your vegetable seeds indoors now for
Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Leeks,
Onions and Spinach in mid to late February.
• Pick up our bulletins on Flower Seed Starting Facts
and Starting Seeds Indoors.
House Plants:
• Time to start feeding houseplants again in later
February with a good quality indoor plant food such as Jack's
Classic (water-soluble powder) or Osmocote (slow-release
granular).
• Time to re-pot root bound houseplants to a larger
pot. Barretta stocks a full line of containers, including
terra cotta, wood, concrete, ceramic and plastic. Use Barretta
Potting Mix when repotting houseplants.
• Time to decorate your home with blooming plants
like Primrose, Gardenias, Daffodils, Tulips, Amaryllis,
Cyclamen, Winter Daphne and more. Visit Barretta Garden
Center for an excellent selection.
• Check the leaves of your houseplants for insect
problems like scale, mites and mealy bugs. If you detect
a problem, bring in a representative sample and one of our
plant specialists will diagnose the problem and recommend
the appropriate control. We have several ready-to-use spray
products or systemic granules, which are ideal for indoor
use.
• Check houseplants that have leaves that are turning
yellow and brown. Lower leaves that curl up and fall off
may be too warm, too dry, or the plant may not be getting
enough water. If you are uncertain, call or visit Barretta
Garden Center with a sample.
Additional Information:
For more information to help you garden more easily and
successfully, stop in the garden center and pick-up a copy
of the following bulletins:
• Facts on Seed Starting
• Spring Lawn Care
• Moss and Algae in Lawns
• Orchids
• Fruit Tree Spray Program
• Preparing Vegetable or Flower Beds
• Pest Appearance Timetable
• Deer Resistant Plants
• Gardening for Birds
February Reminders:
• Don't forget your special Valentine with beautiful
flowers and plants from Barretta Garden Center.
• Spring is right around the corner. February is a
great time to make an appointment with one of our landscape
designers to make plans for a beautiful spring landscape.
• Stop into either of our garden centers and pick-up
a Barretta calendar for the year ahead. Each month features
timely gardening tips and inspiring pictures from the garden.
• Barretta's "Big John" tree spade can transplant
large trees to your landscape.
