FEbruary Garden Tips

February is the month of anticipating Spring. Only one more month of potentially “cold” winters and then days will start warming up. Hang in there and continue with your monthly garden tasks. You will be so pleased with the results come Spring and early Summer.

THINGS TO PLANT

Flower Plants: African Daisy (Arctotis), Alyssum, Summer Forget-Me-Not (Anchusa), Snapdragon (Antirrhinum), English Daisy (Bellis), Balloon Flower, Butterfly Weed, Calendula, Candytuft, Coneflower, Chrysanthemum, Cornflower, Delphinium, Dianthus, Daisy (African, Michaelmas and Painted), Feverfew, Gaillardia, Larkspur, Liatris, Edging Lobelia, Cardinal Flower, Monkey Flower (Mimulus), Nasturtium, Penstemon, Ornamental Cabbage and Kale, Pansy, Phlox (drummondii paniculata), Stock, and Johnny Jump-Up.

Flower Seeds: Alyssum, Calendula , Candytuft, Cosmos, Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana), Four-O-clock, Gayfeather, Larkspur, Linaria, Marigold, Monkey Flower, Nasturtium, Penstemon, Petunia, Phlox (drummondii), Salvia, Stock (dwarf), Verbena, Sweet Pea, Sweet William (Dianthus).

Bulbs: Agapanthus, Amaryllis (in containers), Allium, Alstroemeria, Amarcrinum, Calla, Canna, Crinum, Dahlia, Daylily, Gladiolus, Spider Lily (Hymerocallis), Liriope, Monkey Grass, Mondo Grass, Rain Lily, Society Garlic, Tigridia, Tulip.

Vegetables:

Early – Mid Month: Asparagus crowns, Broccoli plants, Cabbage plants, Cauliflower plants, Carrots, Chard, Onion Bulbs, English and edible podded peas, Potato (Irish), Spinach.

Mid – Late Month: Mustard

All Month: Beets, Collards, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Radish, Turnip

Herbs: Dill, Fennel, Garlic Chives, Horseradish, Lemon Balm, Mint, Parsley, Rosemary, Summer Savory.

Fruit: Bare root or container-grown Pecans, Fruit trees, Grapes and Berry bushes.

tasks in the garden:

Fertilize: Feed winter bloomers such as alyssum, dianthus, and especially pansies. Fertilize maidenhair fern with bone meal.

Water: Water everything well before a freeze to protect against cold injury, but avoid overwatering.

Transplant: Plant bare root and container grown roses, shrubs, trees, groundcovers and vines. Move hardy seedlings outdoors. Divide and transplant perennial herbs and summer and fall blooming perennial flowers. Donate extras to a plant sale.

Prepare Soil: Add compost and/or fertilizer. Till deeply. Test soil (forms available at the Extension Office). Check winter mulch and replenish, if needed. Stockpile leaves for mulch and composting throughout spring and summer.

Prune: Prune evergreen shrubs, shade and fruit trees, summer and fallflowering shrubs. Prune roses around Valentine’s Day, except climbers and once-bloomers. Prune these after flowering. Prune grape vines and trim sides of blackberry rows to keep neat and pickable. Mow straggly groundcovers on high setting to renew the planting.

Lawn Care: If lawn has a history of brown patch problems, treat with a labeled fungicide this month. Repeat treatment in three to four weeks, if needed.

Diseases/pests to look for: Apply pre-emergent weed killer to lawn. Spray fruit trees with dormant oil just prior to bud break.