Gardening — February need to know
Published 11:03 pm Wednesday, February 3, 2021
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Learn—month by month—the necessary gardening activities for lawns and shrubs, annuals and perennials, fruit and nut trees, and bulbs, roots, and tubers. Included is a timeline for activities such as soil testing, planting, pruning, fertilizing, pruning, mulching, indoor plantings—from cauliflower to okra, from camellias to dahlias to heirloom roses.
Fruits and Nuts
- Planting season continues for dormant trees.
- Fertilize fruit trees.
- Apply half of the fertilizer recommended for grapes now; apply the other half soon after fruit sets.
- Continue dormant pruning and grafting. Start strawberry plantings.
Shrubs
- Planting season continues.
- Visit camellia shows to learn of hardy varieties in your area.
- Graft camellias in central and south Alabama.
- Spray all shrubs with a fungicide before new growth starts.
- Prune all shrubs before new growth starts.
- Don’t prune early-blooming species because flower buds will be removed.
Roses
- Prune hybrid tea roses in south Alabama; delay pruning for a few weeks in north Alabama.
- Continue planting.
Annuals and Perennials
- Replant early plantings of hardy annuals.
- Prepare beds for summer annuals.
Bulbs
- Plant cannas, amaryllis, gladiolus, and zephyranthes in south Alabama; delay planting for a few weeks in north Alabama.
Miscellaneous
- House plants are beginning to show signs of activity.
- Fertilize with liquid or soluble fertilizer according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Remember Valentine’s Day. Why not send roses or a potted plant?
Lawns
- Apply preemergent herbicides if forgotten in September and if spring weeds were a concern last year.
- If south Alabama’s winter was mild, centipedegrass may not be fully dormant. Monitor for fungal disease.
Vegetable Seeds
- South and Central: Plant the same vegetables listed for January. Add carrots, Swiss chard, kohlrabi, lettuce, spinach, radishes, turnips, and additional plantings of leafy greens.
- North: Plant kale. Wait until the end of February to plant beets, carrots, collards, garden peas, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, spinach, Swiss chard, radishes, and turnips.
Vegetable Transplants
- Whole state: Plant asparagus, cabbage, broccoli, onion sets, kale, lettuce, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.
- South and Central: Plant asparagus, cabbage and broccoli, and certified seed potatoes for Irish and red- skinned varieties.
- North: Wait towards the end of the month to plant certified seed potatoes for Irish and red-skinned varieties and asparagus.
Questions?
Call the Master Gardener Helpline at (877) 252-4769. A Master Gardener Extension volunteer is waiting to answer your call.
