February is the traditional month for love. We rush around all month picking out flowers and chocolate and making reservations at our favorite restaurants to impress the ones we love. And that is great! But, February is also the best month to show love to your yard by getting it ready for spring.
When thinking about where to take your loved ones to eat, remember you can also feed your trees, shrubs, ground covers, ornamental grasses and perennials. If you fertilize your plants with Scott’s Turf Builder for Southern Lawns slow release fertilizer with an analysis of 32-0-10, plants will respond to their good meal just like your loved ones. Fertilize your trees by applying 2 pounds of fertilizer around each tree from tree trunk out to drip line. It is always good to water after fertilizing but fertilizing before a rain will also work.
Before going out with our loved ones, we dress up! This can be a reminder to you to dress up your beds. Pull out all weeds in beds and tree rings and add a double ground, dyed-brown, hardwood much. Maintaining 2 inches of mulch will provide great growing conditions for your plants, reduce water use and make it easier to remove those pesky weeds. Remember, no red mulch in beds. Brown will provide a more natural appearance. You want your beds to look their best.
When thinking what is the best gift to buy your loved ones, I have a suggestion for a gift for your yard. Between February 15 and March 15, apply a pre-emergent weed control to your planting beds and turf. This pre-emergent will help control all spring and early summer weeds. Apply Preen to planting beds and Halts to your turf. As always when applying any product, follow the label directions closely. You will find that this will also be a gift to you as you avoid pulling all those weeds.
Just like with your loved ones, if you take the time to love your yard, it will respond positively to you and you will reap the benefits.