Here it is February and many people, especially gardeners, are tired of being stuck indoors. The landscape looks messy towards the end of winter. There are viable things to be done outdoors in late February or early March as the conditions permit. This is also a time the landscape maintenance professional starts their new year off as well.

Deer can be most damaging in late winter and early spring. Food sources have become scarce and deer feed on your landscape more than normal circumstances. The weather may have kept you from applying repellents and winds may have blow down deer fencing. Now is the time to heavily re apply deer repellents and adjust deer barriers. Even if you think your plants are generally deer resistant, check them carefully. I am seeing more and more deer “resistant” plants damaged as the deer population reels out of control.

Ornamental grasses have become very popular in recent years and are becoming common in residential gardens. This is the time of year to get out there and cut them back. You may be thinking I already cut them back in the fall but it has been my observation most people do not cut them down low enough. It is important to trim them almost flush to ground level. By doing this we avoid the new spring growth growing around a “donut” of dead center. This goes for all your grasses. Why not leave them up for winter interest this year and cut them down next February? The grasses add drama and an element of sound to the winter landscape. Also remember avoid feeding your large grasses like Miscanthus. These rapid growers will grow too fast and tall and bend over and break in the rain and wind.

Lily Turf (Liriope Muscari) is an evergreen perennial that needs to be “mowed” or cut back in early spring (your local deer may provide this service for you). While Liriope is evergreen the old growth dies off in late winter and browns out. Trim it low to the ground and re mulch if needed (much easier when it’s cut back). I like to feed my Liriope with a slow release 5-10-5 fertilizer at this time to give it an early jump start to filling in its new lush spring growth.

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia Davidii) is another popular plant that needs to be cut back. Again don’t be afraid and cut it about flush to the ground. It will still grow to heights of six foot plus. I see countless Buddleia that have never been cut back or are sawed off at 2 feet high. This is not going to give you optimum flower production on that old wood. 

This is also a great time to look over your deciduous shrubs. Remove dead or damaged branches (dead branches will be void of new buds). Remove the oldest thickest branches from your Lilacs (Syringa Vulgaris) and Red Twig Dogwoods (Cornus Alba). Remove this old growth low at the crown. Let the younger shoots take over. You will create healthier and more vigorous plants and your Red Twigs will be redder.

I mentioned mulching the Liriope when it’s cut back because it is easier. Well it’s generally easier to mulch all your gardens now before bulbs pop, plants bloom, foliage hides the crowns of shrubs and before perennials have come up. You do not need to work around all these obstacles now. This will cut down on the time it takes to mulch and any damage to tender new perennials and bulbs. Also by mulching early your soil temperature will increase faster and bring blooms and foliage in a little faster.

So get out there! I bet you did not think there was so much to get done!