Things You Can Do in February to Get Ready for Spring in Northeast Ohio

Wondering what to do with your cold and snowy days? Here are some care tips for plants, good things to remember to schedule, and reminders for spring prep.

Inspect houseplants for insects: look for stippling leaves (spider mites), sticky leaves and/or black ‘sooty mold’ (scale), stunted or deformed growth, or white cotton-like spots (mealy bug).

Use NEEM, INSECTICIDAL SOAP, OR RUBBING ALCOHOL for Contact Killers:

• HOMEMADE INSECTICIDAL SOAP: 2 Tbsp: Ivory soap/ water : 16 oz spray bottle
• ALCOHOL MIX: ½ 90% rubbing alcohol: ½ water: 16oz spray bottle
• NEEM and ALCOHOL mix are best for spider mites and scale

BONIDE SYSTEMIC GRANULAR INSECTICIDE: Lasts 6-8 weeks.

• Now is the time for a second application.
• Highly recommended for prevention and treatment of scale, mealy bug: often contact killers are not enough on their own.

Tips for Controlling fungus gnats:

• They thrive in moist conditions, so allow soil to dry out completely in between watering and do not allow water to sit in trays.
• Use sand as a top dressing for your soil.
• Make a trap: take an old spice jar, fill about ⅓ with apple cider vinegar and a little squirt of dish soap.

MID-LATE FEBRUARY: Apply ROHR’S ALL SEASON GRANULAR Fertilizer and begin to liquid fertilize your houseplants (We like JACK’S HOUSEPLANT SPECIAL and JACK’S ALL PURPOSE).

Our air is very dry in the winter! Use a tray of pebbles and water underneath humidity-loving plants such as: African violets, Calathea, and Gardenia. Keep away from drafty areas and cold windows!

• Schedule an appointment to meet with one of our designers now! We have the time to draw up a game plan for how you want your outdoor retreat to look, big or small!

• Schedule your larger tree trimmings with Berens, Davies, Haymaker or other local tree trimming businesses. It’s best done in early spring before leaf emergence.

• Order your seeds, plot out the garden! Figure out what worked from last year and what you’d like to change. You can always contact us for questions or help.

It’s a good time to get those mower blades, pruners, and more sharpened and ready.

If you don’t do your own maintenance on your equipment, mowers, blowers etc, get it on the schedule! There are quite a few great places around here that will get those serviced for you, like Bair’s, Paul’s or a Doc’s Lawn and Garden.

Check to see if your bird feeders are clean and stocked, and maybe get some straw for those outdoor pets and strays that are out in this cold weather.

Questions? Email us at [email protected] or call one of our two locations: Portage (330-499-0101) or Everhard (330-492-1243).

Need a downloadable copy?