February Checklist 

Planning

___ Plan your perennial beds.

___ Plant small to medium sized shade trees for summer cooling on patios.

___ Consider using ground covers in areas where it is difficult to mow or where grass will not grow.

Planting

___ Plant any Spring bulbs that may still be hiding in your refrigerator.

___ Plant by seed: beets, carrots, collards, Swiss chard, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard,

radish, shallots, and turnips.

___ Plant transplants or seed pieces of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and Irish potatoes.

___ Sow seeds of corn, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes in hotbeds or greenhouses.

Care

___ Wipe or wash off leaves of dusty houseplants.

___ Stake newly planted trees if they seem unstable.

Watering

___ Keep an eye on perennials in pots.  They may need to be watered.

___ Maintain moisture around newly planted roses.

Problems

___ Collect and dispose of fallen of yellowing leaves caused by blackspot on roses.

Pruning

___ Remove old, dead growth on perennials.

___ Cut back ornamental grasses to within a few inches of the ground.

___ Use hedge shearers, string trimmer, or lawnmower set at highest setting to shear back overgrown ground covers.

Fertilizing

___ Fertilize greens, such as kale, collards, turnips, and spinach with a 15:5:10 or other 3:1:2 ratio fertilizer.

Month-By-Month Gardening in Texas by Dan Gill & Dale Groom