February Gardening To-Do List According to Your USDA Growing Zone
According to The Weather Channel, January is, on average, the coldest month of the year in most parts of the United States, including the Midwest, South and East. However, colder winter weather persists throughout the month of February in many regions. Nonetheless, with springtime merely one calendar month away, February is an essential time for gardeners to prepare for the upcoming growing season.
Growing zones, also known as USDA Hardiness Zones, are geographic areas that indicate the average annual minimum temperature in a specific region. These zones help gardeners and farmers determine which plants are most likely to flourish in their climate.
The U.S. is sectioned off into 13 grow zones, with each zone representing a 10-degree temperature difference. Zone 1 is the coldest, while Zone 13 is the warmest. By understanding these divisions, growers can select appropriate plants that are better suited to survive (and thrive) in the local temperature extremes and seasonal variations, ensuring optimal growth and health.
Depending on your area’s designated zone, your February gardening to-do list will look a little different, so first identify your zone at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov. Then check out the comprehensive lists of gardening preparations tailored to each grow zone below. Do get started now so that, come springtime, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running!
The injections the sawbones did in my back on Friday have helped quite a bit with the pain. The procedure itself was extremely unpleasant - they stick a needle all the way through the muscle tissue along the spine until they hit a rib, then back out a bit and squirt the medicine in. It was NOT a nice experience.
Saturday was worse. I had 80% of the previous pain along with new pain from all of the needle stabs. I felt like I'd been beaten with a baseball bat. By the end of the day the pain had eased a bit and I was able to get some decent sleep - almost 12 hours - I felt better yesterday than I have in months. It's better yet today. There's still quite a bit of soreness from the needle work and the muscles being locked up for so long, but the red hot steel ball that's been swimming around under my shoulder blade has cooled down noticeably so maybe there's some hope. MRI on my cervical spine this Thursday then see what's next. In the meantime I'll pick up a bottle of conolidine and add that to the supplement regimen.
Howard had bit of a tough weekend. Somehow he managed to injure a toenail on his right hind foot. It's been bleeding on and off for the last three days. It doesn't seem to be causing him a ton of discomfort, but he'll gimp on it when he knows someone is looking. There's not really a good way to treat it, AND he lost his 2nd training collar on Friday, so we've been trying to keep him indoors to the extent that it's possible.
He's managing to get his naps in spite of the sore toe.
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Croissant French Toast Muffins / use day-old croissants / make day ahead and reheat
Baked w/ sweet custard, topped w/ buttery cinnamon crumbs. Perfect for brunch or holidays.
Ing Muffins 6 stale Croissants , torn into pieces 1 c 2% milk ¼ c h/cream 2 tbl sugar 4 lge eggs 2 tsp maple extract ¾ tsp grnd cinnamon ¼ tsp salt. Crumb Topping ⅓ c flour ¼ c br/sugar ½ tsp grnd cinnamon ¼ c unsalted butter melted
Instructions---whisk milk, cream, sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, salt. Add cubed croissants; stir/combine. Scoop ⅓ c into each muffin cup. Topping--whisk flour, brown sugar, cinnamon. Drizzle melted butter over top; stir/combine. Sprinkle over muffins. Bake in sprayed muffin tins 350 deg 30 min til golden brown; cool in pan 5 min before removing. Serve warm.
Chef tips Swap brioche or challah bread for croissants. Swap almond extract for maple extract for a nutty flavor. Replace h/cream with halfnhalf for a lighter custard. Recipe Variations Stir in chocolate chips for a dessert style muffin. Add blueberries or raspberries for a fruity version Drizzle with maple glaze or cream cheese icing after baking for extra sweetness.
Use slightly stale croissants to absorb custard better. Let cool 5 min on pan before removing to so hold their shape. Double crumb topping for extra crunch. Store leftovers airtight in fridge up to 3 days. Reheat 325 deg 10 min to warm. Can freeze 1 month; thaw in fridge overnight before reheating
BROCCOLI RICE CHEESE BAKE / makes a lot / can do ahead
Ing--1 med minced onion, 2-10 oz pkgs frozen broccoli, cooked/drained 1/2 c butter 2-10 oz cans cr/chicken soup 6 c cooked wild rice 1/2 c chp mushrooms 1 gar/cl 3 c fave shredded cheese
Method--Sauté onion/garlic/melted butter til onions are tender; cool. Important to allow cooked ing to cool before mixing so cheese doesn't melt. When sufficiently cool, reserve 1/2 c cheese and mix rest list of ing. Set in b/dish (might need 2). Spread reserved 1/2 c cheese on top. Foil over. Bake 350 deg 20 min, remove foil; bake 5-15 min til cheese is hot and bubbly.