FEBRUARY.............................Average Daily Temp:52 - Average Rainfall: 3.6
Finish planting shrubs such as azalea, camellia, gardenia, abelia, spirea, sweet olive, yaupon, kerria, ligustrum, althea, acuba, apple and crabapple. See November for how-to.
Bulbs: Begin planting schedule for gladiola bulbs. Plant every two weeks. Plant rooted-in-pots: agapanthus, allium, alstroemeria, crinum and amarcrinum, blackberry lily, canna, daylily, dahlia, bearded iris, and spider lily. These will bloom in April, May and June. Those with undeveloped root systems may take another year to bloom. February is a good month to transplant liriope and aspidistra.
Seeds: Plant seasonal (annual) flowers such as sweet alyssum, cleome, coreopsis, cornflower, cosmos, dahlia, forget-me-not, globe amaranth, larkspur, lobelia, marigold, nasturtium, penstemon, petunia, sweet william, salvia, snapdragon, stock, strawflower, sweet peas, and flowering tobacco (nicotiana). Protect emerging seedlings from frost.
Nursery Pot Plants: Plant petunia, geranium, lobelia (trailing), sweet alyssum, coneflower, coreopsis, bluebonnet, shrimp plant, stokesia, etc. Coneflower, bluebonnet, and stokesia are perennials for our area, as is coreopsis 'Sunrise'.
Divisions: You still have time to divide Shasta daisies, coneflower, coreopsis, iris, lilies and agapanthus. Be aware, Spring blooms may be diminished, but the plants will be ok.
Roses: Best time to plant; best time to transplant and best time to prune. (Except old-fashioned climbers should have been pruned in October to assure best bloom.) Begin a spray/water schedule, keeping in mind bare root roses need no fertilizer the first season, but potted and established roses like to be fed every few weeks during the growing season. Future month's work lists include reminders. Prune established roses back to about half normal height.
Propagation: See January. Finish all hardwood propagation this month.
SPRAY: Watch for scale on camellia and holly. Spray with dormant oil.
For organic maintenance, see Howard Grant, the Dirt Doctor at http://www.dirtdoctor.com
Bulbs: Begin planting schedule for gladiola bulbs. Plant every two weeks. Plant rooted-in-pots: agapanthus, allium, alstroemeria, crinum and amarcrinum, blackberry lily, canna, daylily, dahlia, bearded iris, and spider lily. These will bloom in April, May and June. Those with undeveloped root systems may take another year to bloom. February is a good month to transplant liriope and aspidistra.
Seeds: Plant seasonal (annual) flowers such as sweet alyssum, cleome, coreopsis, cornflower, cosmos, dahlia, forget-me-not, globe amaranth, larkspur, lobelia, marigold, nasturtium, penstemon, petunia, sweet william, salvia, snapdragon, stock, strawflower, sweet peas, and flowering tobacco (nicotiana). Protect emerging seedlings from frost.
Nursery Pot Plants: Plant petunia, geranium, lobelia (trailing), sweet alyssum, coneflower, coreopsis, bluebonnet, shrimp plant, stokesia, etc. Coneflower, bluebonnet, and stokesia are perennials for our area, as is coreopsis 'Sunrise'.
Divisions: You still have time to divide Shasta daisies, coneflower, coreopsis, iris, lilies and agapanthus. Be aware, Spring blooms may be diminished, but the plants will be ok.
Roses: Best time to plant; best time to transplant and best time to prune. (Except old-fashioned climbers should have been pruned in October to assure best bloom.) Begin a spray/water schedule, keeping in mind bare root roses need no fertilizer the first season, but potted and established roses like to be fed every few weeks during the growing season. Future month's work lists include reminders. Prune established roses back to about half normal height.
Propagation: See January. Finish all hardwood propagation this month.
SPRAY: Watch for scale on camellia and holly. Spray with dormant oil.
For organic maintenance, see Howard Grant, the Dirt Doctor at http://www.dirtdoctor.com
