Six Satisfying February Gardening Jobs to Chase Away the Winter Blues

Cool temperatures and dark skies got you down? Me too. I know I can’t complain, living in a place with mild winters, but I am a solar-powered, heat-loving person. Once the glow of holiday coziness has worn off, the rest of winter is a slog. The slowly lengthening days and early blooms of February always put back a spring in my step; as soon as I see a daffodil, I feel ready to prep for the impending warmer months. 

Last weekend, I rolled up my sleeves and tackled my disorganized balcony and dirt-encrusted pots and, best of all, sowed ornamental flowers that will brighten up my garden in April and May. These February gardening jobs are all about getting a head start on the growing season so that when it arrives, I can jump straight into planting.

If you struggle with seasonal affective disorder to any degree, tackling these jobs will do wonders for your mental health. Is there anything more gratifying than an organized tool cabinet and a stack of clean scrubbed pots? I think not! Read on for tips on accomplishing six satisfying February gardening jobs.

1. Clean your outdoor furniture and accessories

After a few months of disuse, the belongings we keep outdoors tend to gather a coating of grime. Shake off outdoor cushions and rugs, wipe down outdoor furniture, and dust off accessories such as candles and lanterns. 

I don’t go overboard, since it’s all just going to get dirty again. But it’s nice to be ready to enjoy those special Oakland days in February when the sun comes out, the temp hits above 60, and a lunch hour spent lounging in the sun can convince you spring is already here.

2. Organize your gardening tools and supplies

We small-space gardeners face challenges when it comes to storing tools, fertilizers, soil mixes, and other accessories. I stuff most of my smaller items into a wooden cabinet that I inherited from my aunt. Large bags of potting soil and compost live rather inelegantly under a table. 

Since I am pretty active on the balcony from March through October, things tend to get jumbled after nine months of continuous use. This year, it rained so much in December that instead of doing a good job tidying up before winter, I just closed the cabinet door on the whole mess and forgot about it.

So last weekend, when I peered inside the cabinet, things were looking pretty scary. I took everything out, swept the dust and dirt from all the shelves, and sorted through the contents. Happily, I discovered some materials I had been hoarding for seed-starting (plastic bags, plastic nursery six-packs, etc.) and only tossed what I couldn’t reuse (nursery tags for plants I no longer have). 

For bonus points, you could clean and sharpen your trowels, forks, snips, pruners, and any other metal tools. Monty Don tells me to do this all the time on Gardener’s World and I never listen, but maybe you will.

When I put everything back on the clean shelves in an orderly fashion, it was immensely satisfying to behold.

3. Clean your pots

Ah, cleaning pots. Every container gardener’s favorite job, right? I will put this off for months and let dirty pots pile up as the plant inventory dwindles in November and December. Last weekend I finally faced the pile and, like most things I procrastinate on, it really wasn’t that hard and actually very satisfying to complete.

There are many different schools of thought out there regarding how thoroughly home gardeners should clean their pots. Commercial nurseries and farms must completely sanitize their containers to prevent the spread of pests and disease. My philosophy is that home gardeners don’t need to be so strict; it’s wise to clean your pots between uses, but don’t stress out about killing every organism dwelling within.

To clean a pot according to my lazy standards, first use a brush to remove any encrusted dirt still inside. They sell adorable flowerpot brushes, but I just use an old dish brush. Remove as much dirt as you possibly can.

For smaller pots, once they are dirt-free, you can wash them in the kitchen sink like regular dishes. But for larger containers, this is where not having a hose makes things tricky. I fill a small tub or bucket with hot, soapy water (I use Mrs. Meyers dish soap since it’s non-toxic and better for the environment) and bring it outside near the pot pile. 

I dip an old dish sponge or brush into the tub and scrub the inside and outside of the pot, splashing lots of water around and generally making a big mess. For really stubbornly dirty pots, I use an old ball of copper wool, which is fine for terracotta but not advised for glazed ceramic.

Once the pot is nice and clean, I tip it upside down to dry. Terracotta dries super fast, which is what makes it so great for drainage-loving Mediterranean plants. By the way, if you’re wondering where I got all these dang pots, check out my post on five places to look for cheap containers.

4. Fertilize plants that are showing signs of life (but not all of them)

A period of dormancy makes for healthier plants, so I tend to stop fertilizing around November. As the days get longer in February, you may start to see tender new growth on some plants that have been dormant. For example, my lemon tree, rose, and little pot of tarragon are coming back to life. At this point, it’s not a bad idea to give these plants a boost of nutrients for encouragement.

If I lived in a place with harsh winters and frost, we wouldn’t be at this stage yet. But, in the Bay Area I expect to see vigorous growth and lots of green by March. 

I fed my tarragon, parsley, and forest strawberries a diluted liquid fish fertilizer to encourage foliage. For my lemon, I sprinkled a tablespoon of organic citrus and fruit tree food on the soil, worked it in with my trowel, and gave it a good water. Maybe it will consider making lemons this year.

I was considering feeding my rose, but I just repotted it in the fall, so it has a fresh supply of nutrient-rich potting mix, amended with even richer compost. This means the roots should have all they need for at least a few more months, and indeed the plant is growing strongly since I hard-pruned it in December.

As a general rule, I don’t like to feed plants that seem to be struggling or questionable at this time of year. I would rather wait and see what happens when the temperatures rise. I also don’t feed plants with low nutrient requirements, like Mediterranean herbs. If anything, I’ll mulch their containers with some fresh potting mix and that should suffice.

5. Clean your balcony or patio floor

This is a job unique to balcony and patio gardeners. After you have cleaned your pots and organized your tools, but before you put back your patio chairs and outdoor rugs, give the floor some attention. 

I don’t go overboard here either, as it really is going to get dirty again almost immediately; just do your best to sweep away the buildup of dirt, leaves, and cobwebs. I have a dedicated outdoor broom to save our indoor one from total destruction. 

If you used non-toxic soap to clean your pots and nobody lives below you, dump out the tub or bucket of water onto the floor to wash away the grime. Or, you can just mop the floor like a decent person.

6. Sow some seeds!

Finally, the ultimate February job for gardeners pining for spring: sow seeds! Nothing brightens up the tail end of winter more than an army of baby future plants sprouting on the windowsill.

Living in the Bay Area, it’s not too early to sow basically anything indoors. By the time the seedlings are growing strongly, it will be warm enough to put them outside.

If, like me, you have devised a miniature greenhouse operation in your sunniest window, go ahead and wipe off those shelves or sills and clean at least the inside of the window to let in more light. 

Gather and clean the hodgepodge of containers you will grow the seeds in: egg cartons, plastic clamshells, reused nursery plugs, and in my case a bunch of compostable seedling pots I got for free from the annual Plant Exchange. You can pretty much sow seeds in any shallow (2-3” deep) container that has holes in the bottom.

Organize your seeds and make a plan for how many you will sow of each. This year, I’m focusing on ornamental flowers and sowing marigolds, cosmos, and nasturtiums, along with a few peppers. I’ve shared some tips for sowing these seeds here and will keep you all updated on my seedlings’ progress. 

Let me know what you’re sowing this year in the comments!

Last step: Relax and enjoy your handiwork!

If you accomplish all or any of the jobs above, be sure to step back, behold your tidy space or rows of sleeping seeds about to awaken, and congratulate yourself. I hope these February gardening jobs fill you with a sense of optimism for the spring ahead; I promise it will arrive, and when it does, you’ll be ready!