February
Double check your seed packets and order any last minute things you might have forgotten. I always fins one or two that I forgot to plant or another farmer reminds me about. Seed FOMO is real!
Set aside an hour and really plan your seed starting days. Seeds vary in how long they take to sprout and grow large enough to brave the elements. Some take just 4 weeks while others are slow little things that need up to 12 weeks before they are happy to go outside. You want to avoid planting all your seeds at one time and having some get leggy and root bound while others lag behind.
Stock up on compost tea ingredients or soil amendments. My favorites are Azomite, Green sand, feather meal and blood meal. Soil amendments should be added only after you have had a soil test done. If you are planting in a raised bed with potting soil, the potting soil mix will likely already have all the nutrients your plants will need but if you are planting directly in your ground you’ll really want to do a basic soil test. They are relatively inexpensive ($50) and can save you a lot of time and headache.
Start slow growing seeds that say “sow 12-10 weeks before last frost date” like black eyed Susan’s, dusty miller, and chocolate lace flowers.
If you ordered new chrysanthemums or dahlias you can pot them up and start taking cuttings of them as new shoots appear or from the main stem as soon as it has 3 or more sets of leaves.
If you have any bare root roses or shrubs this is a great time to get them into the ground.
Make sure you prune back any established roses and fruit trees before they break dormancy and start new growth. Valentine’s day is a great reminder day for getting any last minute dormant sprays on your fruit trees. We use a copper spray that’s organic and acts as a natural fungicide to help prevent Peach Leaf Curl and other stone fruit fungus problems.