In the Garden with Shobha Vanchiswar

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February 5, 2010

Things to do in February

I hold in my hands
assorted, rotund packages.
Wrapped in brown tissue
sans ribbons, sans labels, sans address.
Missives from afar
declaring softly
“Winter will soon depart.”

  1. Inspect indoor plants. Check for pests and, if required, treat right away. Organically, of course. Fertilize as needed. Remember to turn the pots around for uniform light and growth.
  2. Inspect stored bulbs, tubers and corms for any signs of rot. Discard those that do not look healthy.
  3. Continue forcing indoor bulbs. Stagger the times to ensure a nice long period of blooms, all the way until it is actually spring outside.
  4. Order seeds and plants. Make sure plants will be shipped at the right time for planting or you have the space and appropriate conditions to keep them indoors until such time.
  5. Plan on starting cool weather vegetables. Timed correctly, you can plant out the seedlings as soon as the ground is workable. Before you know it, you will be enjoying the harvest!
  6. Outdoors, routinely remove all winter debris.
  7. Brush off any snow or ice from structures or branches that appear weighed down or at risk.
  8. Continue filling bird feeders.
  9. Prune grapevines and towards the end of the month, prune roses. I took advantage of the January thaw and got the grapevines done. For the roses, I generally cut back the limbs by one third. All dead or damaged wood should also be removed.
  10. The New York Botanical Garden’s annual Orchid Show starts February 27. The members’ preview is on the 26th. Even if you do not grow orchids or know nothing about them, do go to this exhibit. It is always beautiful and in the icy depths of winter, the show makes for happy, hopeful feelings.

A word, ok, six words, about purchasing orchids: In general, they can be pricey. But here’s how I see it: If you buy a plant loaded with buds, it’ll bloom for a very long time, possibly weeks and weeks. That’ll more than justify the expense since no single bunch of fresh flowers could last as long. At the end of it all, you will have a plant that has every chance of re-blooming year after year. There, now you can shop with a clear conscience.

Shobha Vanchiswar has been gardening all her life, the last 22 years in Chappaqua. She received the Golden Trowel Award for garden design in 2007 from Garden Design magazine. Her jewel-of-a-garden here in New Castle was on view in this year’s Garden Conservancy Open Day program. She has a garden design business, Seeds of Design. Write her at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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