February – Will It Deliver An Early Spring or More Winter? (Copy)
What comes to mind when you think of February?
Do you think of February as the end of winter?
Or, do you think of February as the beginning of spring?
The reality is February can go either way.
Sometimes, February feels like winter is never going to end. Other times, February feels like spring has arrived with flowering bulbs, shrubs and trees bursting to life.
If we receive a snow this February, take time to find to notice the stark red branches of the Red Twig Dogwood against pure white snow.
Either way, February means we are getting closer to the browns of winter being replaced with the colors of spring!
And, no matter which way this February trends, it is time to shake off your winter break from lawn and landscape activities and get focused on setting up your lawn and landscape for your best year yet.
You may have had time to handle some of these tasks during January, if so, you are ahead. But, if not, it is time to get busy. We are down to a few weeks to get your lawn and landscape ready for the coming season.
For your best lawn this season, a pre-emergent application must be put on your lawn before the first of March.
Weed Control – In early January, as weather allowed, we began applying the very important first step of our lawn care program to many of your lawns. For your best lawn this year, it is critical you have a pre-emergent herbicide on your turf to prevent spring and summer weeds before early March. Many summer weeds germinate when soil temperatures reach 55 degrees, which typically occurs sometime during the first two weeks of March in central Oklahoma. Soil temperatures are currently in the low 40’s, but will reach the critical weed germination point within the next 30-40 days. Along with applying the first pre-emergent of the year, now is the perfect time to be more aggressive in controlling existing weeds in bermuda lawns. If you have a fescue lawn, now is also a good time for pre and post-emergent weed control, but if you are applying your own weed control it is critical you read the label first and ensure it is safe for fescue. Never assume that an herbicide is okay on any turf type.
Key Point: For your best lawn this year, your lawn needs a pre-emergent application before soil temperatures reach 55 degrees in early March.
Want to learn more about preventing weeds? Read our article from January 12th, Why is an Early Lawn Care Application So Important?
Because crabgrass is fast growing and spreads quickly, it can have a dominant presence in your lawn by May without a spring pre-emergent.
Dormant Oil – Many insects, such as scale, aphids, mites and leaf hoppers, overwinter on trees and shrubs. Spray with a dormant oil when the temperature is above freezing before the end of the month (before bud break), and you will have less insect issues on your trees and shrubs during the season. Dormant oil can also reduce some fungal pathogens.
Always read and follow the label before spraying. Some plants, such as blue spruce and blue juniper, can experience temporary loss of color if sprayed by Dormant Oils.
Key Point: Dormant oils will reduce, and possibly eliminate, some insects.
For more information on dormant oil applications, read our post from January 26th, Dormant Oils – A Proactive Approach to Insect Control.
Over the past few seasons Crape Myrtles have been problems with white scale. The first step in gaining control of the insect is a dormant oil treatment.
The best time to control and prevent weeds is before warm season lawns come out of dormancy.
An application of a dormant oil this month will smother overwintering insects such as aphids.
Assuming February brings us a gradual warm up we are only 30 days away from daffodil blossoms.
Watering – Winter moisture is important for the health of your lawn and landscape. January is one of our driest months and that proved true this year as well. Through the winter months, anytime we go 7-10 days without moisture, pick a nice day and give your lawn and landscape a deep soaking. The goal in the winter is to get ½” of moisture on your lawn and landscape every 2 weeks.
Key Point: Winter plant damage is more likely to occur when plant roots are dry during an extended cold period.
It is a good practice to wrap the trunks of young Maple trees to prevent trunk damage in February and March. Commonly known as southwest injury, it is caused by sap rising on warm days followed by freezing temperatures at night resulting in damage to the bark.
Fescue lawns will return to a rich dark green sometime between the last week of February and the last week of March when soil temperatures and moisture are just right.
Fescue – Most mature fescue lawns began the new year with better than normal winter color. But, between the early January run of 70 consecutive hours with temperatures below freezing, which included two nights in the low teens, followed by another run of 94 consecutive hours below freezing and a low of 1 degree, fescue lawns lost the color they carried through the holidays and now have a freeze-burn, brown appearance. If there only been just a couple of inches of snow to go with the cold temperatures, fescue would have lost some color but would have maintained an overall green hue.
What can you expect from your fescue in February? It all depends upon temperatures and moisture. Every year there is a turning point when temperatures rise, there is abundant moisture and almost overnight, fescue lawns regain their rich green color. A full recovery can happen as early as mid-February or as late as mid-March.
The extended cold periods in January along with the single digit temperatures without any snow cover have left fescue lawns with brown leaf tips.
Key Point: Hold your judgment on the condition of your fescue lawn for another 4-6 weeks.
What can you do for your fescue lawn? Sometime between late February and early March, remove the freeze-dried leaf blades by cutting the lawn shorter. You don’t have to scalp it. Just cut it enough to remove the brown leaf ends.
Key Point: Cut your fescue a little shorter in a few weeks to remove the brown leaf tips.
We could be only three weeks away from seeing spring color!
Soil Test – If your lawn did not respond as expected to fertilizer last year, you may have a soil problem. It is a good idea to have your soil tested every two to three years to ensure the soil will continue to yield a healthy landscape. A soil analysis will provide you with the pH and levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. A pH range of 6.0 to 7.5 is acceptable for most plants.
Using a spade, take 10-12 samples of soil from the top 6”. It is best to test turf soil and landscape planting soil separately. Mix in a bucket and remove roots and debris. Place about 2 cups of soil in a plastic zip lock bag. Take the sample to your local Oklahoma County Extension Center.
The Oklahoma County’s center is located 2500 NE 63rd St, Oklahoma City, OK 73111. For a nominal fee, they will have the soil tested and send you the results along with recommendations in approximately two weeks.
Or, if you would like us to handle this for you, respond to this email or call (405)367-3873. We will gather a sample, deliver it to the lab, call you to discuss the findings, and prescribe a soil amendment plan if needed.
Key Point: For the best lawn and landscape, have your soil tested every two to three years.
One of the first announcements of spring comes from the bright golden yellow of the forsythia. When will it declare spring this year? Before the end of February? Or March?
Later this month Crabapple blossoms will burst to life.
Tree Pruning – Continue to work on tree pruning with the goal of completing maintenance and restorative pruning before trees’ leaf in March.
Want to know the details on tree pruning? Visit our article from December 8th, Winter Tree Pruning.
If you planted daffodil bulbs in November or December, this is less than 30 days away!
Lawn Maintenance – Continue to keep leaves and debris removed from the landscape. Later this month or early in March, cut the lawn for the first time. It is not necessary to scalp the lawn all the way to the soil. We recommend cutting the lawn at or just below the height you desire to maintain it at during the spring and early summer.
Lawn Equipment – If you mow your own lawn, February is a perfect time to get your mower ready for the new season. I am a firm believer in having your lawn mower professionally serviced every winter. Not only will you have less mower headaches during the season, you also can expect a longer mower life. Most shops offer a winter tune-up special where they put in a new spark plug, change the oil and filter, replace the air filter if needed, put in fresh fuel with stabilizer, and sharpen the blade.
We are only 4-5 weeks away from Oklahoma’s State Tree, the Redbud, brightening our days.
Have you noticed the Winterberry? Winterberry is a deciduous holly that adds interest to the winter landscape with a vibrant show of red berries.
No doubt the weather over the next few days will have us all thinking spring has arrived. But, odds are there is still a little more winter yet to come.
Don’t let a spring-like February day pass without spending some time outside.
By the end of the month, we will all be singing….
I see trees of green
Red roses too
I see them bloom
For me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
I see skies of blue
And clouds of white
The bright blessed day
The dark sacred night
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world
Yes, I think to myself
What a wonderful world!
(Thiele, Bob, and George David Weiss. "What a Wonderful World.")
If you need help with any of these tasks or have questions, please give us a call.
Lorne Hall
Hall | Stewart Lawn + Landscape
(405)367-3873