On This Farmer's Mind for February

February can feel like the calm before the storm for us. Snow may still be on the ground in places, and frosty mornings are a daily reminder that winter isn’t done with us. But under the surface—in both the soil and our minds—things are starting to stir.

For me, February is a month of anticipation. It's time to get organized and ready for the season to come. Here are a few ways I spend February as a time of preparation and promise:

1. Plan The Garden Layout

The winter quiet is perfect for thoughtful planning. In some years, I use February to ready  materials and designs for any raised bed or other infrastructure additions that need to be made to my garden. By late February, I am taking advantage of warmer days to begin some of these construction projects if they weren’t completed in the fall. I also continue reflecting on what did and didn’t work last season. I continue tinkering with plans for the layout of what will be planted in my garden beds.  When I’m doing this, I’m thinking about any potential need for crop rotation and companion planting. I’m considering sunlight, water drainage, and how to maximize every inch of soil and growing space (including the ever-so-helpful vertical growing options).

For any new gardeners planning companion planting for popular vegetables, consider these pairings:

• Tomatoes: Pair with basil to enhance flavor and deter pests, or marigolds to repel nematodes and aphids.

• Peppers: Plant alongside cilantro, taking advantage of the shade created by mature pepper plants to keep cilantro cooler and delay bolting. Cilantro flowers also attract beneficial insects that can help protect peppers.

• Cucumbers: Grow with nasturtiums to deter cucumber beetles, or dill to attract pollinators.

• Squash: Pair with borage to improve growth and attract pollinators, or radishes planted under the shade of large squash leaves to deter squash borers while benefiting from the cooler microclimate.

  
  

2. Start Some Select Seeds Indoors

February is the time to sow seeds indoors for certain herbs and flowers that benefit from an early start. Consider starting herbs like sage, rosemary, chamomile, echinacea, and lavender indoors. Additionally, start helpful pest management flowers such as pyrethrum daisies or yarrow.  And lastly, if you’re starting alliums from seed, like chives or onions, February is also a great time to give them a head start. These plants not only beautify your garden but also contribute to its health by attracting beneficial insects and deterring pests. 

3. Prepare and Organize Supplies

Before the rush of spring, I take stock of my gardening tools and supplies. I’m cleaning seed-starting trays that might have escaped fall clean-up without getting attention. I’m also organizing my seeds taking final stock to see if I need to order (or seed swap with local growers) anything further for the season. Finally, I’m checking my stock of compost or preferred soil amendments.  For me, this means maintaining my compost pile in hopes that some will be ready for use in the spring so that I may avoid having to purchase compost.   For soil amendments, I have found vermicomposting helpful. Keeping worms cozy and happy in the winter gives back when I transplant starts into the garden on top of a little dollop of home-grown worm castings.

February may feel quiet, but for those of us who grow, it’s a time to prepare for what’s ahead. Whether we’re sketching garden plans, starting seeds, or learning something new, these small steps are the beginning of the growing season. When we take the time to prepare thoughtfully with patience and care, the work we do now will set the stage for a thriving garden in the months to come.