Monthly Garden Tips
February
Setout snapdragons, petunias, dianthus, alyssum, or calendulas for early Spring color. Wait until late March to plant flowers that are sensitive to cold, such as impatiens.
Plant gladiolus corms this month in the Middle and Lower South.
Sow seeds this month for candytuft, California poppy, four-o'clock, and nasturtium. Wait until next month to plant these in the Upper South. In the Lower South, also sow balsam, calendula, gloriosa daisy, baby's breath, and annual phlox.
Feed Pansies in established beds this month with 5-10-10 of similar fertilizer at the rate of ½ cup per square yard . Pinch off faded blooms to encourage new growth and blooms. If you don't already have a pansy bed, it's a good time to set on out. Space plants about 4 inches apart in full sun and well-prepared soil.
Insect control on houseplants is a winter long concern. Remove insects by handpicking wherever possible. Dab alcohol on areas of minor infestation where insects are too small to pick off. Sponging foliage of smooth-leaved plants also removes some insects. If you must apply and insecticide, do it outdoors on a warm windless day.
This is the best time to prune deciduous and evergreen shrubs whose flowers will be bone on new wood. These include wax myrtle, butterfly bush, pomegranate, smoke tree, sweet shrub, viburnum, and winter honeysuckle.
Right after pruning is a good time to fertilize your roses for the first time, this year.
Bare-root roses are available now at garden centers. Remove from bags and soak overnight in water before planting. Place in an area where they will get 6 hours full sun each day. Add organic matter, such as compost, to help retain moisture.
In the Deep South, you can plant container-grown trees, shrubs, groundcovers, and perennial herbs and flowers-as long as you're no more than a month away from your last frost date.
Cut branches of pussy willow, forsythia, quince, spirea, and redbud to force indoors. Choose branches with buds that have began to swell. Cut them at an angle and put in water. Place in a cool location with indirect light and watch the blooms open.
Choose Camellias while they are in bloom. They do best in partially shaded areas with acid soil. You can put them in pots on porches or other shaded areas. Use pots that are at least 18 inches in diameter or larger, and fill with well-drained potting soil mix. Apply dormant oil to fruit and nut trees, before spring growth starts, to combat scale and other kinds of pests.
Dogwood is a Southern favorite to plant now. Dogwoods are native to shady woodlands, so they won't grow as well when planted in full sun. They also do poorly in area of the Lower South known for poor drainage and a high water table: the solution here is to plant dogwoods in raised beds.
You can propagate crepe myrtles this month, from hardwood cuttings of last year's growth. Make cuttings about 6 inches long: insert in a flat containing a mixture of equal parts perlite and peat moss, or plunge cuttings directly into the soil, which should be well drained. They should be rooted and ready to transplant into pots by early summer.
Wait until after your regions frost date to plant warm season annuals such as tomatoes, peppers, and basil.
Plant pieces of Irish potatoes this month in the Lower South. Delay planting until next month in the Middle and Upper South. Plant disease free, certified seed potatoes for best results. If you choose to cut your own seeds from grocery store potatoes, be sure each piece contains a growth bud or eye.
It's a good time to plant perennial vegetables, such as asparagus, horseradish, and rhubarb. (Rhubarb doesn't do well in the Middle and Lower South.)