© Modified / Showa / Gonik The region has a lot to look forward to in February.Have you made 2023 resolutions for your garden, yard or landscape? It's almost the end of January and it's time to start looking at February's assignments.
February can be an unpredictable month with freezing temperatures (think last February) or warm enough for fruit trees to start blooming and dormant plants to show signs of spring growth. The main sources for the monthly work listed below are Neil Sperry's Lone Star Gardening and Doug Welsh's Texas Garden Almanac.
Tips for planting in February
- Plant cool vegetables - onions and peas at the beginning of the month; Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and sweet potatoes; Spinach, lettuce, chard, carrots, turnips, turnips and other greens and root vegetables at the end of the month. You can grow cold-sensitive plants in containers so you can bring them inside when cold temperatures are forecast and plant them in the ground when the weather warms.
- Plant cool-season annuals like roses and snapdragons at the beginning of the month and wait until the end of the month to plant delphiniums, ornamental chard, petunias, poppies, peppers and other plants.
- Dig and divide summer and fall flowering perennials such as birdseye, pitcher plant, Japanese aster and sedge before they start growing at the end of the month.
- Native trees and shrubs that need to be moved to a new location can be removed this month. Collect as much root system and soil as possible, plant at the same depth and remove 40-50% of the upper part, as part of the root system is lost.
- Plant fruit trees, grapes and berries recommended for the area. Cut back 50% after planting to give them a good start.
Cut from February
- Cut back ground cover plants such as Asian jasmine, mondo grass and liriopa. They can be cut to 4-5 inches early in the month with a clipper or lawnmower.
- Prune evergreen shrubs to shape. For a more natural result, use scissors and clippers.
- Waiting for Nandina. Cut the tallest stems to the ground, leaving the shorter stems to allow the plants to return to compact growth.
- Remove damaged or unwanted branches from summer flowering shrubs and vines.
- Do not plant weeping to reduce its height. Plants that were previously topped can be cut back to the ground and retrained.
- Prune peach and plum trees early in the month before bud break. Keep them 10-12 feet tall and 15-18 feet wide.
- Cut roses on Valentine's Day.
- Remove the head lawn at the end of the month. Cut off 1 or 2 mower blades and place the clippings in a bag to use as compost or mulch.
What should you feed in February?
- New trees and shrubs have been planted.
- Cool-season grasses at the end of the month, but wait until April to feed warm-season grasses.
- Water every 2-3 weeks during the cool season to maintain plant growth and flowering.
Various tips
- Check your irrigation system for proper operation. Call a professional to fix the problem now before the spring rush starts.
- Check the mower and trimmer to make sure they are ready for spring. Customize them now or customize them so they're ready to go
- Continue to provide light and water to houseplants before they go outside from spring through fall.
- If frost or a late frost is forecast, cover the plants with frost cloth before it gets cold. Remove the lid when the temperature gets above freezing.
- Winter droughts along with wind and cold weather destroy plants. Water lawns, landscaping, gardens and trees at least twice this month if it doesn't rain.
- Don't forget to provide water and food for birds and wildlife.
It's never too late to start creating landscape and garden plans, so look to gardening magazines, plant books, and online resources for ideas. Make sure the resources you use provide information about Texas or our part of Texas. I like the Aggie Horticulture website (https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu) because it has country specific information.
Remember that February is an unpredictable month and plan for the weather. As my gardener grandmother used to say, "Go outside and bask in the warm sun, but beware of the cold. Don't rush these kids."
If you have any questions, please call the Taylor County Extension office at 325-672-6048 or email us at mgardeners@yahoo.com. We hope you like our Facebook page and visit bcmgtx.org for Big Country Master Gardener information and events. We are here to help you!
This article originally appeared in the Abilene Reporter-News: You've Got the January Kindergarten To-Do List; What does February hold?
