It’s finally February. With any luck, the bad weather is over and we can move right on into gardening season. I’ve always thought of February, President’s Day specifically, to be the official start of the gardening season and the Yard, Garden and Patio Show (YGPS). This year the show is scheduled for February 12, 13, and 14 at the Oregon Convention Center and President’s Day is on the 15th. There’s so much to do in one weekend. One thing’s for sure: there is no time to dawdle, so let’s get cracking.

I always start the season by making a list. I do love a good list; I love the smug and self-satisfied feeling you get as you cross something off it! Lists are a good way to get a little focus and stay on track. It is so easy in the garden to start one thing and then never finish. I find that if I have a list, I can plod through to the end. My February list is going to look a little something like this:

First, peruse the seed, plant, and garden supply catalogs and websites

for early spring veggies, cool new plants, tools and ideas that I would love to see in my garden, and shop, shop, shop.

Check out www.reneesgarden.com, www.anniesannuals.com, another one is www.cactusjungle.com and we can’t forget www.gardeners.com to get me started in the right direction. I am on a quest for the perfect Martagon Lily, like one I saw on a garden trip to Victoria, BC last summer. So far, I am unfulfilled in my quest, but I know that so often the hunt is half of the fun, so I carry on. Then off you go to plant those early spring vegetables and flowers that you found in the catalogs. Nothing tastes quite like early spring peas fresh from the garden.

This year I will include carrots, beets, and peas as well as sweet peas. Last year I was on a white veggie kick: white radishes, white cucumbers, white tomatoes, etc. This year I think I will try multi-color varieties like the Jewel Toned Blend beets and the Sunshine Yellow and Orange carrots from Renee’s and the Nasturtium Apricot Gleam, which is the most glorious shade of orange from Annie’s. I do love orange. To quench my insatiable lust for succulents and the like, I will be adding an Adenium Swazicum from Cactus Jungle. Lastly, I have fallen for a super cute pair of garden boots, perfect for the spring mud, from Gardener’s Supply. This gardening thing is an illness and I just can’t help myself.

Second on the list is to attend the local gardening shows particularly the Yard, Garden and Patio show at the Oregon Convention Center. I can’t wait to see the baby chicks at the Pistils booth. If you’ve not yet considered the idea, how about adding a few chickens to your garden mix? February and March are the ideal months to brood a few chicks. In Portland, you’re allowed to have three hens, but no roosters allowed. Having a few chickens in the garden is ideal for egg laying, bug catching, weeding, and the ultimate prize, chicken manure! Aaaahh…the benefits of chicken manure; how can I count the ways?

One of the best things about the YGPS show is all of the free seminars they offer. Local gardening experts graciously donate their time for these informative seminars. Should you attend the YGPS show on Valentine’s Day, yours truly will be offering a seminar on how to “Decorate the Outdoors.” I would love to see you there. For more info, go to www.ygpshow.com

Third on my list: attack the roses. In the Northwest, President’s Day is the perfect day to give your roses the chop. Never be afraid to use one’s loppers. Cut them back hard, and I do mean hard. I cut mine back to about a foot or 18 inches and clean out the old dead wood. It may seem severe, but your roses will thank you for it in June, I promise. Perhaps you can’t commit to the exact day to prune, but just be sure and get them pruned before they set their buds.

This year I will be adding a rose to my garden that makes me weak in the knees. Years ago, I fell for its first cousin, Altissimo, a vigorous climber with a red single rose and a bright yellow center. However, it was lost in last year’s snow and it made me very sad. Imagine my surprise when I found Christine. It’s a bright orange spot of Altissimo with large, slightly fragrant blooms growing in small clusters on strong, upright canes with dark green foliage. The color begins as oriental orange-red buds changing to rich, very striking mandarin-orange. It has lightly fragrant, single flowers in small clusters on a strong, upright plant with dark-green foliage and a continuous bloom throughout the season. In Christine, only the bloom color has changed and all the other attributes of Altissimo are exactly the same. I will be making a beeline to Heirloom Roses in St. Paul, OR next month to get mine. You can visit www.heirloomroses.com to have them ship one to you. You know you want one.

I can’t believe how long my list is getting! I should stop writing and you should stop reading this so you we get out there and start “the list.” I swear, it helps me and I truly hope it helps you too. Have a wonderful early spring and here’s to dirt under your nails. Cheers!

JJ De Sousa is the owner of digs inside & out, located at 1829 NE Alberta, Portland. She can be reached at 503-460-3447 or jj@digs-pdx.com.