February is a time of excited anticipation. This month a gradual heralding of early spring begins in the lower parts of the region and steadily advances through the entire area.

Planning

Detailed planning of areas of general development should be completed by the middle of the month. In fact, any plan work not well in hand by now may very easily be crowded out entirely by more pressing programs. Detail planning means the actual decision necessary as to placement, quantities, and space allotments for the various plants to be used this season.

Planting

This is the last call for planting of dormant trees and shrubs. Growth activity will begin by the end of the month and later planting will hamper the ideal development of these plants. Give the plants a chance to reward you with their season’s growth without being stunted by late planting.

Rose planting should begin about the 15th of the month. Great expectations are kindled in a gardener when he receives his order of rose bushes for the season, and one can easily dream of the warm days ahead when the lush foliage, beautiful blooms and perfume will fill the garden.

east February

There is a tremendous amount of misinformation about house plants, landscaping and gardening. Much of it unfortunately, you will hear on the radio or TV and read in newspapers. This is especially true in connection with some of the advertisements of concerns that are more interested in money than in satisfied customers.

Remember the most reliable source you have of garden information is your county agricultural agent, who gets his information from the Agricultural Extension Service and the Agricultural Experiment Station of your own state university. They know your local conditions and plants adapted to your locality.

As new gardening experiments are carried out, even the professionals have to change their ideas and recommendations from time to time. Despite these changes, many people are still gardening as their grandparents did. We might take note in passing (just to start an argument), that so far scientists have never found any connection between signs of the moon and the proper time to plant, sow seed and harvest. The condition of the soil, temperature, and moisture are far more important.

Some kinds of seeds must be sown soon after ripening or they will not grow. Others retain their life (viability) from one year to another depending on the conditions under which they are stored. A test for germination can easily be made before planting time by cutting a circle of flannel or paper towel to fit the bottom of a plate.

By marking the material in four divisions, four different kinds of seeds may be tested at one time. The cloth is moistened and ten or 25 seeds placed on each division.

Cover with another plate or with a pane of glass to hold in the moisture. Label each kind of seed planted including the date planted. Inspect the seeds from time to time. Count the number that sprout. If none germinate and the seeds are choice ones, test a second time.

Hardcoated seeds are slow to germinate. Kicking the seeds slightly may enable them to grow. Some seeds may require a period of cool or freezing temperatures. If none grow after giving them ample time for germination, the seeds are probably no good and it would be useless to plant the remainder of the lot.