Rocky Mountain February Garden Checklist: Prune, Spray, and Plan Seeds

February brings longer days but plenty of snow and freeze remain. On calm sunny days, inspect trees and shrubs—care now pays off for years. Stormy days: scheme indoors, organize seeds.

Prune Deciduous Trees and Shrubs

Easy to see structure now. Remove dead/diseased/crossed branches. Lightly shape—one branch at a time with proper tool (loppers, pruners, saw).

Renewal Pruning for Older Shrubs

Remove ⅓ oldest, thickest stems at ground level. Repeat yearly. Eliminates scale/borer buildup, admits light to vigorous young growth.

Open Tree Centers for Light and Form

Remove branches to allow sunlight into center—improves flowers/fruit, creates sculptural silhouette, or frames a view.

Prune Fruit Trees and Grapevines

Develop espalier on walls/trellises for small gardens.

Dormant Oil Spray

Smothers eggs/larvae of scale, aphids, mites, leaf rollers. Horticultural oil (refined mineral oil) is low-risk for humans/beneficials. Read label—some plants (junipers, dwarf Alberta spruce, Japanese maples, redbuds) are sensitive. Don’t apply below 40°F.

Plan for Seed Season

Sort stored seeds. Cool, dry, airtight storage extends viability:

• Cucumber, lettuce, melon, spinach: 5–6 years
• Beans, peas, beets, carrots, eggplant, squash, tomatoes: 3–4 years
• Corn, onions, leeks, parsnips, peppers: shortest-lived

Germination Test

1. 10 seeds on damp paper towel, fold, seal in labeled bag.
2. Room temp 7–10 days.
3. Count sprouts: 10=100%, 9=excellent, 8=good, 6–7=poor, ≤5=discard.

Grow what your family eats—avoid impulse buys from pretty catalogs.