Jan 31, 2024

Preparing Your Garden For Success - February in the Garden

Gardening part faith in the future and part lessons from the past. If this is your first time gardening, you are in good hands because I have been gardening for many years. Which means I have made many mistakes, and can help you bypass these mistakes. Gardening is the quality of our actions in the present, the daily tasks, not the planning that distinguish success from failure. SO if you think you have a “brown thumb” because you have killed plants in the past, know that you can have a “green thumb” in the future.

GARDEN SUCCESS STARTS WITH:

Select and plan your garden. — Assess the sun and soil. Most flowers and veggies need full sun. Soil can be improved by amendments like compost, fertilizers, etc. The ideal width for both in ground and raised bed garden beds is three to four feet.
- For in-ground beds, remove all the grass and amend the top 6-8 inches of the soil with some high quality compost.
- For raised beds, fill with a 50/50 mix of compost and top soil. Avoid the raised bed mixes bags.
Assemble the Right tools — my favorites are a stirrup hoe, hand pruners, a garden knife.
Plant selection — flowers like zinnias, cosmos, sunflowers, nasturtiums, basil, and dill are easy to grow and great starting flowers.
Germination of seeds - you can purchase plants if you are intimidated by starting your own seeds. BUT with a little knowledge you can start seeds inside. One of the major errors I see is seed placement (on top of soil, below the soil). Seeds need 3 things — water, oxygen, and temperature. Reading the back of the seed packet or research can tell you 1) seed placement (on top of soil, below the soil) and 2) the temperature the seed needs to germinate.

HERE IS SOME THINGS TO PLANT IN FEBRUARY:

Alyssum, calendulas, cannas, daylilies, English daisies, gladiolas, Iceland poppies, larkspur, pansies, petunias, pinks, primroses, snapdragons and other cool season annuals.
Fruit trees, grapes, pecans and berries.
START INDOORS — Basil, Cosmos, Dill, Gomphrena, Marigolds, Nasturtiums, Zinnias | Feb 22 - eggplant and peppers
TRANSPLANT OUTSIDE — Flowers - Dianthus, poppies, feverfew, scabies, snapdragons, statice, stock, strawflowers, and yarrow. Veggies - Asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, English peas, onions, potatoes, Swiss chard and other cold-tolerant vegetables and strawberries.
Feb 15th - sow your radishes outdoors

TASKS IN FEBRUARY:

Transplant existing plants before the new spring growth begins. I have a lantana I need to move!

Divide and transplant perennials such as daisies, coneflowers, hardy hibiscus, asters, mums and salvias.
Prune trees and rose’s on Valentine’s Day.
Top dress existing garden beds with high-quality compost.
Clean, sharpen, and oil your garden tools.

Planting is an investment in the future — the garden’s future, the gardener’s future, and the beauty and bounty you grow can be shared with others. Thus, the joy of others future is in you garden.