Texas Gardener's February Checklist

Though the thermometer motivates you to remain indoors, February is a fantastic month to get out and get your hands dirty. You are able to begin plants in just about any class this month as seeds or small transplants, and you can work and enhance the soil in preparation for spring planting. So brave the chill and promise yourself a cup of hot tea in the conclusion of the day — your garden awaits, and it will thank you and pay you back in spades in a couple of months.

More regional garden guides

Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Plant perennials and annuals. Many perennials and annuals can be directly implanted into the garden today for late-winter and early-spring color, as well as color throughout the remaining growing season.

Plant Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), Turk’s cap (Malvaviscus drummondii), blackfoot daisy (Melampodium leucanthum), zexmenia (Wedelia texana), poppies (Papaver somniferum), snapdragons (Antirrhinum spp), stock (Matthiola spp), alyssum (Lobularia maritima), delphiniums (Delphinium spp), dusty miller (Senecio cineraria) and Language daisies (Bellis perennis).

Margie Grace – Grace Design Associates

Prune roses. Valentine’s Day is the traditional time to prune your roses, so get out your hand pruners and rose gloves. Eliminate dead canes (branches) and some other branch that spans over another or develops to the center of this plant, prune for shape.

Pruning your roses this season will make certain that your plant will have more lush expansion, an attractive shape and a profusion of blossoms during the forthcoming months.

Tutorial: See how to prune roses, step by step

Liquidscapes

Shear and shape plants. Prune immature fruit trees if necessary and also shear evergreen shrubs to maintain shape. Ornamental grasses, as well as perennials like esperanza (Tecoma stans), firebush (Hamelia patens) and salvia (Salvia gregii), can be cut back to about 12 inches.

Herbs like rosemary, oregano, savory and thyme will also appreciate a late-winter trimming. Be sure to avoid pruning your spring-flowering shrubs and trees at this moment, as doing so will remove their flower power till next year.

Jean Marsh Design

Sow seeds. Many herbaceous plants, vegetables and flower seeds can be sown directly into the garden dirt this season. Try sowing seeds such as chives, cilantro, dill, parsley, sweet peas, nasturtium, cosmos, beets, carrots, endive, kale, lettuce, parsnips, mustard greens, peas, radishes, spinach, turnips and rutabagas. Seeds for tomatoes and berries can be started indoors.

Fertilize flower and vegetable gardens. Early in the month, use some mulch or organic fertilizer in your flower and vegetable beds so the dirt is ready to go when spring hits. Try compost teas, liquid fertilizers, worm castings, cottonseed meal or compost from your own compost pile. Rake the mulch into the side and also work the fertilizer into the top couple of inches of dirt, then rake smooth and replace the mulch.

Ask your nursery for a fertilizer recommendation — nobody understands the local dirt and typical garden problems better than the team in a good neighborhood garden center.

Establish fruit plants and trees. Blackberries, dewberries, grapes, figs, pears, persimmons, strawberries and pomegranates can all be planted now, but make certain to pick the varieties that are best suited for your specific place. The regional nursery or extension office can offer recommendations for youpersonally, as well as the best times to plant them.

JMS Design Associates

Add herbs and vegetables. There is still time to receive your cool-season herbs and veggies in the floor. Plant broccoli, asparagus, Asian greens, artichokes, cabbage, chard, collards, seed potatoes, onion sets, spinach, mustard greens and lettuce.

Herbs to plant contain calendula, chives, cilantro, dill, lavender, rosemary, thyme, parsley, sage, fennel, sorrel and oregano. The sunnier the place, the greater the return.

decordemon

Test your soil. Take samples of soil from other parts of your garden and have them analyzed for pH as well as degrees of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Most extension offices will execute the test for a fee, and the outcomes will allow you to be aware of how to amend your soil if necessary. Some plants prefer a specific soil pH in order to bloom or thrive, so it is good to know what you are dealing with and make the suggested alterations.

How to begin your spring and summer plants inside

See related