February Gardening Tips
• Seeds are beginning to show up in the stores. At Wallmart they
are way back in the corner at the far back from the garden register, almost hiding.
• You can cut early flowering shrubs to force to flower indoors now; such
as forsythia.
• Begin pruning rose bushes this month. Prune to about 18 inches from the ground.
I also prune those rugged rugosas. It helps then get thicker.
• Take soil samples to the Clemson Extension to have it tested. The local office
is out hwy #701 just before the DMV office. It is several miles out.
• Clean up flower and garden beds, sharpen the edges, and remove dead branches,
twigs, pine cones and winter weeds.
• If your grass is a cool season grass, fertilize this month.
• Spot treat broadleaf weeds, and apply pre-emergent herbicide to control crabgrass.
• Vegetable seeds can be sown now: peas, Chinese cabbage, snow peas, onions, broccoli,
carrots, lettuce and white potatoes.
• Be cautioned about using leftover seeds from last year. Many will not sprout
after that period of time. To test them, put a few seeds on a damp paper towel, roll it up and store in a warm place. After
a week or so, check to see what percent have sprouted. That may well be the amount that will sprout in the garden. For instance,
if half (50%) sprout, half will grow in the garden.
• If you have fruit trees, prune them this month.
• When you prune, try to choose a spot just above a bud. Choose a bud that is facing
outward.
• Herbs, such as Rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley and marjoram need extra lime. Fertilize
them lightly.
• Prune back all ornamental grasses before the new growth begins. If you cut off
new growth, you will have to look at the scalped section all summer.
• Herbs are a great joy to have fresh, however, some are very quick to out grow
their space, and mint is one of these. Plant mint in a container and you will be much happier with it. Also fennel and dill
will reseed and reseed and reseed until every thing is dill and/or fennel.