| Any corrective pruning should be finished in | | | | easily frightened away, never to return. |
| February. Remember to paint all wounds over one | | | | Encourage your youngsters to provide and care |
| inch in diameter with a pliable water-proof paint. | | | | for the facilities for the birds. They will very soon |
| This prevents drying out and checking of the | | | | become "bird-watchers," giving them a |
| wood and resultant decay and also prevents the | | | | wholesome pastime and invaluable training in |
| entrance of disease or insects. Do not prune the | | | | conservation and nature study. |
| early flowering shrubs such as forsythia, lilac, | | | | February is the month to bring in potted tulips, |
| spirea, quince, currant, red bud, peach, etc., until | | | | daffodils and other bulbs and start them to |
| after flowering as any material removed now will | | | | growing. Keep in a fairly cool place until the foliage |
| reduce the number of flowers. Prune these after | | | | turns green and then keep the temperatures |
| flowering to encourage new growth for blooms | | | | under 60 degrees until the buds form. This will |
| next year. | | | | prevent ungainly growth or "leggy" stems. Feed |
| This is the month to do shearing or pruning of | | | | with liquid food after the foliage turns green to |
| evergreens as they are usually unsightly after this | | | | improve the overall quality of the blooms. This |
| operation, but with the beginning of new growth, | | | | feeding gives intensity of color and beautiful |
| they are unsightly for a shorter period of time. | | | | substance to the petals as well as increasing the |
| Prune the flowering shrubs that bear their blooms | | | | size of bloom. |
| on new wood like althea, vitex, crape myrtle, and | | | | On those few days of inclement weather, rework |
| buddleia - this will stimulate flower production. | | | | the house plants. For those plants that have |
| Whatever pruning you do, especially on your | | | | spindled, or "leggy" growth, due to lack of |
| shade trees, be sure you know what you are | | | | sunshine or crowded conditions, pinch back to |
| doing or call a recognized tree surgeon. Do not | | | | stimulate new growth and bloom. Take out a little |
| butcher your trees or allow inexperienced "tree | | | | of the, top soil in the pot and replace with fresh |
| surgeons" to do so. Irreparable damage can be | | | | potting soil. Feed lightly with liquid food or a |
| done and often results in the death of the tree. | | | | dissolved commercial fertilizer. |
| Birds | | | | Divide or make cuttings of the plants that have |
| Repair and paint the bird houses early and get | | | | spent the winter indoors and will soon be planted |
| ready for new tenants. Birds do not care for the | | | | in the garden border such as geraniums, coleus, |
| smell of paint, so allow time enough for the smell | | | | hibiscus, Jacob's coat, etc. Prepare the potted |
| to weather out. Avoid the use of metal on bird | | | | plants for a return to "garden duty" during the |
| houses or feeding stations it reflects light and is | | | | summer months. |
| also noisy, both of which will scare birds. | | | | Many such plants provide a point of accent or |
| Remember, they are extremely wary and are | | | | spot of color in a garden or patio design. |