7. Don't forget to keep the birdfeeder filled.
8. Near the end of the month, start seeds of those annuals, perennials, and vegetables that require 12 weeks of indoor growing. Some examples of hardy annuals and vegetables that can go into your garden before your last frost are pansies and leeks. To determine when to start your plants from seed, find your last frost date and count backwards. Refer to your seed planting guide or the back of the seed pack to calculate how many weeks you need to grow the plants indoors before setting out. Wait to plant seeds of faster growing plants such as tomatoes, peppers, and flowers such as marigolds.
9. For Zones 5 and 6 gardeners: Near the end of the February, take cuttings of pussy willow and forsythia for indoor forcing.
10. In January, start a few shallow container plantings of paperwhite narcissus. Fill a shallow container with pebbles, add water, and place the base of the bulb on top of the pebbles. Make sure that the base of the bulbs are not touching the water. These will bloom more quickly than paperwhites forced earlier, and require no pre-chilling.
11. Start ordering plants and seeds now for the greatest selection.
