Gardening tips for February
Some folks may consider February the dead of winter, but to the gardeners at WMCG, it’s time to tackle gardening tasks before the snow melts. First and foremost is to plan and possibly sketch what to plant, where to place the plants for crop rotation, and start the seeds in a timely manner.
According to the newly introduced 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone, we are still in Zone 6b while a few other areas have seen a slight change in “a” or “b” or even a zone. Planting and growing Zone 6 plants usually begins around mid-March for cool weather plants and May or June for warm weather plants. For a comprehensive chart of first and last frost dates, go to “Useful Tools” at https://garden.org and enter your city’s zip code.
We are in Zone 6b of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map and our growing season is approximately 153 days. Start seeds indoors is advisable.
Now is the time to gather seed starting necessities such as trays, heat mats, grow lights, and potting mix. If you purchase a seed starting mix, it’s a good idea to stir boiling water into the soil to kill fungal gnats, their eggs, and larvae. The gnat’s life cycle is relatively short and the eggs hatch very quickly. The real damage is during the larval stage when they feast on developing roots decimating the young plants.
Home made seed starting mix: 50/50 peat moss and cinder sand for good drainage.
For homemade seed starting mix, combine 50/50 parts of peat moss and cinder sand and add enough water to keep it moist. Cinder sand is native to our area and provides good drainage for the seed starting mix. Many people use peat moss or coco coir, vermiculite, and perlite for a homemade mix. Vermiculite is a heated mineral and used to retain water. Perlite is a volcanic glass that has been heated and popped to add structure for drainage. Both recipes are good for starting seeds.
Many experts recommend soaking larger seeds overnight to help germination. Soaking seeds softens the tough outer coat which is a natural germination inhibitor. All seeds have this protection to stop premature germination. It is highly recommended to soak peas, beans, cucumber, squash, and some flower seeds in lukewarm water for several hours.
Soak large seeds overnight. The soaked peas are now primed for planting and faster germination.
Nasturtiums seeds are large and hard. Rub an emery board or sandpaper on the surface but away from the point that was connected to the plant. A slight rub will allow water to seep in for germination. This method is called, “scarification”.
Do not oversoak seeds. Allowing the seeds to sit in water too long can expose them to disease.
Use fine sandpaper on the back of a Nasturtium seed to let water seep into the “scarified” area. Avoid disturbing the point of contact with the mother plant.
Do not soak tiny seeds such as lettuce, carrot, arugula, and many flower seeds such as poppies, petunias, and moss rose. They tend to clump together when wet so keep them dry to spread easily on the soil.
Always follow the instructions on the seed packets for planting the right depth and keeping the right distance between plants. Figure out the best time to plant the starts based on germination time and when the plant is mature for harvest. Count days or weeks from maturity to planting time and consider temperature. Most plants will need some protection from the wind and cold with covers or Walls-O-Water.
If you have old seeds, give them a test to see how viable they are. Take 10 seeds from a packet, place them on a napkin and spray with water. Seal in a baggie. If the seeds are viable, they will germinate in a few days. Using ten seeds helps to figure out the percentage of viability. If five seeds germinate, they are 50% viable for planting. If two seeds germinate, better buy some fresh seeds.
Test 10 old seeds to check for viability. Keep seeds damp. The viable seeds will germinate in a few days.
