• Any branches containing brown, frothy egg cases of praying mantis that are removed when pruning, should be reattached to a nearby branch.
• Branches of Peach and Plum can be gently forced into flower, when cut and brought indoors.
• Check and secure any loose winter protection or wind screens around Boxwood and other tender plants.
• Check fences and gate posts for any needed repairs.
• Check all your evergreens to see if they need watering, especially newly planted ones.
• Crumble old manure over the surface soil of your potted Gardenias.
• Do you have enough peat pots, potting soil, labels etc. for your indoor seed starting needs?
• During the winter months, weakened limbs or those that cross and rub are easily detected.
• Examine borders and rock gardens for plants that have been heaved out by frosts, push back and cover well.
• Examine trees and shrubs for mice and rabbit damage, add protection if any signs of activity are spotted.
• For house plants, aerosol sprays that contain pyrethrum or rotenone can be used indoors.
• Fuchsias like plenty of leaf-mold mixed in their soil.
• Give Rubber plants sunlight, water every day and a cup of manure water once a week.
• If you are ordering seeds, why not try one of the new varieties or novelties this year.
• If you didn't get the compost pile turned over in the fall, you can turn it now.
• Inspect stored Gladiolus corms, if any are found molding, dust them with sulphur and move to a drier location.
• Large deciduous trees can be moved now unless the ground is frozen solid.
• Make sure that all bird-feeding stations are kept filled.
• Now is the time to prune Apples, Pears and Grapes.
• Order your flower and vegetable seeds that are to be started in the hotbed.
• Over-wintering egg cases of bag worms and tent caterpillars should be removed from trees and shrubs.
• Parsley and other herb seeds can be sown indoors, for use in the kitchen.
• Seed of both annual and perennial Canterbury Bells can be started indoors.
• Shake snow from evergreens and Boxwood as soon as snowfall ceases.
• Snapdragons, petunias and lobelia are very slow growing from seed into blooming plants, so the seed can be started now indoors.
• Sow Celery, Cabbage and Onion seed indoors now for an early crop.
• Spray house Ferns every other day.
• Spray your house plants regularly against insect pests.
• Take leaf cuttings of African violets.
• This is a good time to send cards or letters to distant garden friends.
• To speed up germination of Lupine and Morning Glory seeds, notch the seed with a file.
• Towards the end of the month, Sweet Pea seed can be sown in a cool house.
• Transplant begonia and coleus seedlings when their second pair of true leaves appear.
• Valentine flowers received will last longer if pots are kept in a cool location, kept moist and out of direct sunlight.
• Ventilate your cold frames on any warm sunny days.
• Winter damaged tree and shrub branches should be pruned as soon as possible.
