Trees / Shrubs – Late winter is a great time to prune most deciduous trees and shrubs. Don’t prune spring flowering shrubs such as azalea, forsythia and rhododendron. Be careful to use sharp equipment. Never leave stubs on branches and read pruning guidelines before you start!
Flowers – Many annuals can be started indoors this month. Check the seed packet for days to bloom and count backwards from the “frost free” date. Check with your local MSU Extension office for the appropriate “frost-free” date for your area. Geraniums saved from the previous season will be sprouting now and can be potted up to grow into usable plants.
Lawns – clean-up lawn and leaf debris but don’t do any heavy raking. Over-zealous raking can damage the turf and make spring green up even later.
Vegetables and Fruit – Start seedlings of cool season vegetables such as broccoli, since they can be set out in the garden before the frost free date. Seedlings will need a bright sunny window or a grow light. Use sterile, soiless media especially formulated for seedlings to avoid disease. Don’t let your seedlings get too wet or too dry at this stage.
Planning & Garden Design – Get serious about plant orders and landscape improvements. Nothing can be more frustrating to a gardener than to know what you want and not be able to get it!
Pesky Bugs – Carpenter ants become active during sunny days in late winter. When discovered in great numbers, they usually indicate a structural problem in the home. Since Carpenter ants only infest decaying wood, check first near refrigerators, chimneys or toilets to see where your structural problem is. Bait stations can offer excellent control for a few ants.
Source: Rebecca Finneran – MSU Extension
