FEBRUARY
Garden essentials:
- Early February often brings deep cold. Don't uncover roses, prune or plant when temperatures drop below freezing.
- On mild days, plant bare-root roses and fruit trees.
- Mid-month, pull mulch partly away from emerging bulbs and perennials; hunt hidden slugs.
- Bring pots of hardy bulbs into warmth and light for early bloom.
Veggies year-round:
- Start broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower indoors under a fluorescent shop light.
- At month's end, move starts into a cold frame or sheltered outdoor location to toughen.
Lawn care:
- Starlings pecking at turf help remove soil pests such as crane fly larvae.
- Check lawn for standing puddles. Correct drainage, or replace lawn with better adapted ground covers.
